God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World
by Cypher
Summary: (Chapter 35 Now Uploaded) A fic focusing around Simon discovering himself through the help of a new friend. Slashfic; please R
1. Meeting

God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

_By Cypher_

Chapter One: Meeting

Disclaimer: 7th Heaven characters do not belong to me, nor do I have any money, as I am a poor college student.  If you don't like what you read, grow up.  This is your official warning that fic involves homosexual themes with Simon.  If male/male relationships make you uncomfortable, don't read.  Thank you.

            Simon Camden felt lonely.  He was not lonely in the sense that he was alone.  With his six siblings and surrogate brother, Robbie, as well as his parents and pet, he knew overwhelmingly that he wasn't alone.  Nor was he lonely in the sense of being friendless or unpopular.  He had many friends, from his fellow sophomore classmates to a couple seniors.  Girls asked him out, they wanted to be his girlfriend.  He was warm, kind, friendly, smart, the ideal boyfriend in every girl's mind.

            No, Simon Camden was lonely because he didn't think anybody understood him.  Within the past year, strange feelings had arisen, ones he'd been careful to push aside and bury.  Feelings that were, in the eyes of his family and the general community, wrong.  He knew he had to deal with them soon, though.  They added pressure to his already busy life, and sooner or later he was going to go insane unless he had someone he could talk to.  Sure, he could go to his father, mother, siblings, or even a friend, but he felt none of them would understand, that they would judge him.  So he suffered alone, turning down more and more invitations for dates, becoming quieter and more secluded, as he tried to understand the turmoil of emotions within himself.

            Sighing, Simon grabbed his bag lunch from his locker and headed outside.  He didn't feel like eating with his friends today, especially after the wet dream he had experienced last night.  He shook his head, trying to shoo the memory of the dream, and the feelings that came with it, away.

            Spotting a tree with no one underneath, he walked to the edge of campus and sat against its trunk, grateful for the shade it provided.  He pulled out his lunch and began eating his tuna sandwich.  He heard a ruffle from the branch above, but brushed it off as a squirrel running around.  

            He was completely unprepared for a person to suddenly appear in front of him upside-down.  "Yo."

            Simon yelped and tossed his sandwich, eyes wide.  

            The person caught it and smiled at him.  "Sorry, did I surprise you?  I have a tendency to do that sometimes.  My brother thinks I enjoy the shock value, so maybe I do, a little."  The person offered Simon his sandwich back.

            Simon took it and settled back against the tree, looking over the stranger.  He looked about sixteen, a little over six feet tall, and had a short ponytail dangling from the back of his light tan hair.  Other than the fact that he was clinging to the branch with his legs, Simon found that the person's eyes were slightly peculiar, as they were a deep red.  "Uhh..."

            The teen pulled himself back up and leaned against the trunk, a branch seven feet up and a little to the left of where Simon was sitting.  He looked down.  "What?  The hair or eyes?"

            Simon shook his head and hunched his shoulders a bit.  "Eyes," he mumbled.

            The teen simply laughed and ran a hand through his hair.  "They're contacts.  I'm not a mutant or freak from space or anything.  I wear them to help me read, and I got tinted to scare people."  He reached up and pulled one contact out, revealing golden brown eyes, only slightly darker than his hair.  "I just like the shock value of colored contacts."  He shrugged and put the contact back.  

            "Oh."  Simon began to pack up, not really wanting to be around anyone.  "I'm sorry to have disturbed-"

            "Nonsense.  I eat here because it's quiet, and quiet spaces are to be shared with other quiet people.  I don't mind."  He smiled at Simon.  "It'd be nice if we could get to know one another."

            Simon stared at the smile, feeling blood rise to his cheeks.  _He's got a nice smile..._  Blinking at his own thoughts, he relaxed slightly and leaned back against the trunk.  "I guess.  I'm Simon, Simon Camden."

            "Terry.  Terry Dax.  But my friends usually call me Dax, or any other nickname they can come up with."  He winked.  "It's nice to finally meet the infamous Simon."

            "Infamous?"  Simon raised an eyebrow, continuing to eat his sandwich and pulling out a soda.  

            "Yep.  The girls talk about you a lot, and you're really popular with the neighborhood.  Well, your whole family is."  Terry sipped from a water bottle.  "So it's nice to finally meet one of you."

            "Oh."  Simon shrugged and drank his soda.  "So, what year are you?  I've never seen you before."

            "Junior.  Mostly I take AP classes.  I'm trying to get into college as a sophomore.  Dad got in as a second semester freshman, and my brother was considered a junior when he enrolled, so I'm trying to carry on the family tradition."

            Simon raised both eyebrows and looked up at him.  "That's pretty impressive."

            Terry shrugged and raised his bottle.  "Here's to genetics, right?  As for why you've never seen me, I just transferred from...well, I transferred.  Let's leave it at that."  He drank a bit more and took out a cup of fruit.  "So, why're you sitting here?"

            Simon took a deep breath, tensing slightly.  Reaching into his lunch bag, he found a cookie.  "I just like the peace, I guess."

            "I think something's bothering you."  

            Simon glanced upward and frowned.  "So?  Is it any of your business?"

            "I've found talking about a problem helps alleviate it, or even finds a solution."  Terry put his garbage back into his lunch bag and pulled out a book and a blue highlighter.  "If you don't wanna talk about it, though, that's okay."

            "I'd rather not talk about."  Simon finished his cookie and began to pack up, deciding that perhaps remaining wasn't very wise.  _I can't tell a complete stranger my feelings.  No matter how handsome he is…_  He rubbed his forehead, trying to banish that last thought.  

            "Hey, you busy Friday?"

            Simon paused in his packing.  "Why?"

            Terry highlighted a passage in the book he was reading.  "Well, Friday afternoons are my stress reduction time, and I was gonna go to a movie."  He looked down at Simon and smiled.  "You seem like you could use some stress therapy too, so you wanna come?  My treat."

            _Is he asking me out?_  Simon looked over Terry's body, his sight finally landing on the teen's red eyes.  _It would be nice to relax...without having to worry about my finances, or anything else for that matter.  He's just asking me as a friend, so why not?_  He nodded.  "Alright."

            "Great, I'll pick you up at six.  Wear a leather jacket, if you have one."

            Simon zipped up his backpack and tilted his head.  "Why?"

            "You'll see when I pick you up."  With that, Terry returned to his text, not offering Simon's questioning glance any answers. 

            Simon bit his lip and headed back to the school, the remains of his lunch ready to go into the trash.  _Leather jacket for going to the movies?  Odd..._

~()~

            The next two days passed quickly for Simon, and while he checked the tree every day at lunch, Terry seemed to have disappeared.  Though afraid the teen wouldn't be able to find his household, he made sure to keep Friday evening open.  When Friday finally rolled around, he began to get nervous of the date, as that's what it seemed he was going out on.  Robbie picked up on Simon's feelings, but not the reason behind them.  Still, being the nice guy that he was, he offered a sympathetic ear if Simon wanted it.  Simon simply thanked him and told him he'd keep it in mind.  Simon went about his day normally, looking out for Terry, but still finding no sign of him.  Deciding to trust in the teen until the pick uptime, Simon took the bus home, thinking about what he should wear, or if he should change at all, for this sort-of-date.

~()~

            Just as the clock hands reached six, the doorbell rang.  Lucy, sitting in the living room, sighed and got up.  "I'll get it." Lucy headed to the front door.  She heard someone coming down the stairs, and assumed by how light the footsteps were that it was Simon.  She opened the door and blinked, taking in a small breath.  _Nice..._  Before her stood a boy about Simon's age, wearing a pair of leather jeans and a red turtleneck.  He was also wearing a leather jacket, unzipped.  What captivated Lucy the most, however, was his smile and the golden brown eyes that seemed to sparkle.  "Hello there."

            "Good evening."  He bowed slightly to Lucy.  "Is Simon home?  I'm here to pick him up."

            "Yeah, man."  Simon stepped up behind Lucy, shrugging on his own leather jacket.  His eyebrows went up when he took in Terry's attire.  _Gorgeous._  He blinked a couple times and looked at Lucy, who was staring at Terry's face.  "Oh, uh, Terry, this is my older sister Lucy.  Lucy, this is a transfer student, Terry."

            "Please, Simon.  Call me Dax.  It's much easier."  Terry shook Lucy's hand.  "A pleasure to meet you."

            "Likewise."  Lucy tossed her hair back.  "So, you busy tomorrow night?  Cause if not..."

            Terry chuckled and patted Lucy's hand.  "As much as I'd love to accept, I'm afraid that a life of dating is not for me.  I simply don't have the time or energy to make a commitment like that."  He took his hand back as Lucy's face fell a bit.  "I do know a few guys that would love to ask you out, though.  Shall I give them your number?"

            "No, that's okay."  She smiled again and put her hands behind her back.  "So I'll see you around, Dax?"

            "Possibly."   He looked at Simon and brushed his bangs back.  "We need to get going."

            "Right."  Simon nodded to Lucy.  "Tell mom or dad I'll be back in a couple hours."  He stepped out of the house and closed the door.  "Sorry about my sister."

            Terry walked off the porch and headed to the street, laughing a bit.  "I don't mind.  I get it a lot, actually.  Something about my eyes."  He stopped by a black motorcycle and picked up a helmet.  "Hope you don't mind, but my brother has the car."  He tossed the helmet to Simon.

            Simon caught it and looked over the machine.  "Your parents let you drive this?"

            "As long as I don't make much noise or get into any trouble."  Terry put on his own helmet and zipped up his jacket.  "Zip up, it gets a bit chilly."  He mounted the bike in one fluid motion and scooted forward.

            Simon strapped the helmet on and zipped up his jacket.  It took him a more than a few motions, none of them fluid, before he was able to get on.  He wrapped his arms around Terry's waist, as he had seen in the movies.  Beneath the helmet, he was beginning to turn red.

            "Yo, Simon."

            "Huh?"  He leaned to the side and looked at Terry.

            "There are bars for you to hang on to if you feel uncomfortable like this."

            Simon hesitated a moment, then shook his head.  "I'll be fine."

            "Alright, hold on tight."  Terry kicked up the stand and revved the engine.  Moments later, they were flying through the streets, heading downtown.  

            Simon tightened his grip instinctively, resting his head against Terry's back.  As he watched the passing buildings, he found himself getting a bit nauseous.  _Oh great, throw up in his helmet.  That'll win brownie points with him._  Swallowing the bile in his throat, he eventually focused only on Terry's back and his nausea began to settle down.  Then, just as quickly as they had taken off, Simon heard the engine turn off and felt the world return to normal.  

            "Simon?"  Terry pried Simon's hands off and looked at him.  "You okay?"  He removed his helmet and ran a hand through his hair to smooth it out.  "You look kinda green."

            Simon reached up and removed his own helmet, blinking multiple times at the ground before looking up again.  "Yeah," he smiled, "yeah, I'm fine.  Just not used to a motorcycle ride, that's all."

            "Ahh.  It can be disconcerting the first couple times."  Terry unzipped his jacket and stretched.  "It gets easier, I promise."  He began walking towards the theater.  "Come on."

            "Right." Simon followed.  _Maybe it isn't a date; he's just trying to unwind, like he said._  

            Terry chatted and joked with Simon as they bought their tickets and some popcorn, though Simon only got a small.  The movie Terry had picked was a romantic comedy, telling Simon that such movies "are the best to unwind with."  Simon went along with it, figuring Terry just liked Meg Ryan.  They had found seats slightly in the back, and the movie began shortly afterward.  Halfway through the movie, Simon was convinced Terry wasn't interested in him at all, when something happened that ruined that idea.  Terry put his hand on Simon's, holding it.  Simon blushed and considered pulling his hand away, but found he rather liked the feel of it.  For the rest of the movie, Simon had a light tinge on his cheeks, and spent half the time looking of at Terry, who was following the movie, smiling the entire time.  Afterward, Terry acted as if nothing had happened, and Simon played along, not wanting to embarrass himself in case he had misinterpreted the gesture.  Still, as he was hugging Terry on the ride back, he found his mind wandering to the feel of Terry's hand, his glowing eyes, and his warm body.  _I really need to find someone to talk to._

            Terry pulled the bike in front of the Camden household and waited for Simon to get off before putting up his visor.  "I had a great time.  Thanks."

            Simon handed the helmet to Terry and shrugged.  "No problem.  It was kind of nice to unwind."  _Not that I did...damn it._  

            "How about next Friday, then?  Dinner this time?"

            Simon blinked and looked at Terry's eyes.  _He is asking me out._  He swallowed.  _I'm not ready to date guys.  I don't even know if this is a phase or not._  The warmth of Terry's waist returned to his mind.  "Uh, you're sure you mean me and not my sister?"

            Terry laughed and shook his head.  "No, I'm sure.  How about it?  I know this great Chinese restaurant that's not far from town."

            Simon glanced back at his house.  "Well, sure.  Same time?"

            "I might show up a little early, but that's all."  Terry put the visor back down.  "Until then."  He pushed off and rode away, leaving Simon wondering just what was going on with his life.  Sighing, he headed for the door.

            "Who was that?"  Matt was in the living room watching the twins.  "New friend?"

            "Yeah.  He's a transfer student.  We just went to the movies.  Nothing much."  Simon sat on the couch, looking at the ceiling.  _Nothing much except he touched my hand and I rather liked it, not to mention he was dressed pretty nicely._

            "What movie did you see?"  Matt played a bit with Sam and David, glancing over at Simon.

            "Uh...something with Meg Ryan.  I don't really remember."

            Matt raised an eyebrow.  "You just came back and you can't remember?  You feeling okay?"

            "I just had something on my mind and I didn't really pay attention."  He stood up and stretched.  "I'm turning in, alright?"

            "Sure."

            Simon made it to the doorway before turning back.  "By the way, where are mom and dad?"  

            "Someone asked if they could borrow the church for astronomy or something, and invited them both down."  

            "Ah."  Simon headed for the stairs.  _Maybe I could talk to Matt, ask him about how to handle this._  Matt's reactions to some of his other inquiries about life came to mind, and he frowned.  _Maybe Robbie, Matt might overreact.  At least Robbie might accept that it's normal._  He rubbed the hand Terry touched.  _At least, I think its normal._

~*()*~

            "Now why do you need the church again?"  Eric looked over the man ducking behind a telescope.

            "I'm just looking at different locations for a good spot to watch stars, that's all."  

            "And you moved from where, again?"  Anne looked over the instrument as the person angled it.

            "San Francisco, Seattle, New York, chose a place.  I've probably been there and probably have an apartment still."

            "Still?"  Eric frowned.  "Why still?"

            The man stood up, revealing dark brown hair with navy streaks.  "Well, mom and dad still use them."  He shrugged, his hazel eyes searching the sky.  "I think mom has one here somewhere.  I'll have to check."  He looked through the eyepiece and moved the telescope's angle.  "My brother is the one who chose to get a house in this town, though.  I think he likes that it's small and everybody knows everyone and all that."

            "Your brother?  He is..."

            A motorcycle was heard nearby, and both Camdens turned around as a teen wearing a red turtleneck and leather jeans walked towards them.  "Yo, bro!  I'm not late, am I?"

            "Nope."  Jordon didn't even look up, still adjusting the telescope.  "Eric and Annie Camden, meet my younger brother, Terry Dax."

            Terry ran a hand through his hair before offering it to the Camdens, his other hand holding his helmet.  "Nice to meet Simon's parents.  I missed you earlier."

            "So you're who picked up Simon earlier."  Annie looked at the bike and frowned.  "Isn't that dangerous?"

Terry waved his hand at her.  "Naw.  It's about as dangerous as horseback riding, and this won't trample you during a thunder storm."  
            "Dax."  Eric tilted his head.  "Rather unusual name.  Different from your brother's, which is, um," Eric frowned again.  "You never told us your last name, Jordon."

            Jordon stood and laughed lightly, putting a hand behind his head.  "Well, actually, I did."  

            "Jordon's our last name."  Terry stood by his brother.  "His first name is Bruce.  And Dax is my middle name."

            Jordon made a face.  "I hate that name.  Bruce.  It's so...serious."

            "Plus mom picked it because she loves Batman."  Terry smirked and looked at his brother's hair.  "I see the dye is finally washing out."

            Jordon rolled his eyes and looked in the telescope again.  "I hate your pranks."

            "So, your last names are Jordon, but you use it as your first name, and you use your middle?"  Annie rubbed her forehead.  "Any reason why?"

            "Your blue hair is due to a prank he pulled?"  Eric raised his eyebrows.

            "I think Jordon's too ordinary."  Terry shrugged and leaned against the church's wall.  "Dax is much more...exotic, ambiguous, all of that."

            Jordon grumbled.  "Yeah.  The one year I don't make it out on April Fool's and he dyes my hair."

            "Just like when we were little, right?"  Terry patted his brother's back.  "It's all in fun, he knows I love him."

            "But do I love you?"

            "Har har."

            Eric and Annie just exchanged looks.

            "Ah, there we go."  Jordon worked on the focus.  "Mars, as expected."  He looked at his watch.  "On time too."  

            Terry pushed his brother over and looked in.  "Yep, that's Mars.  Comes through pretty clear.  Better than the last place you checked.  Then again, they had a lot more street lights."

            Jordon nodded and made some notes.  "Thanks, Eric and Annie.  I'll get back to you with my final request if the other places don't work out as well."

            "Alright."  Annie got out her keys.

            "Hold on, Annie."  Eric stood next to Terry.  "Do you mind if I…"  He looked at the telescope.

            Terry chuckled and stood back, whapping Jordon's arm lightly.  "I told you you'd convert more people to your little astronomy cult."

            "It's not my fault the sky is captivating."  Jordon smiled at Eric.  "Go ahead.  Just be careful of the focus."

            "Yeah, sure."  Terry put his helmet on.  "I'll meet you back home, okay?"

            "Alright, drive safely."  Jordon knelt down and took out a protractor.

            "I drive better than you."  Terry mounted his motorcycle and drove off.

            Annie let out a frustrated sigh.  "Come on, Eric."

            "Hold on, honey.  Jordon, what's this imprint on the surface?"

~*()*~

            "Robbie?"

            "Hmm?"  Robbie was just passing Simon's room, heading for his own from brushing his teeth and wearing his pajama pants.  "What's up, Simon?"

            Simon debated a moment before sitting up in bed and resting his hands on his knees.  "Did you ever go through a period where you...questioned things you always assumed were true?"

            "All the time.  Can you be any more specific?"  He stepped into the doorway and rubbed his hair.

            "Well, like what?"

            Robbie leaned against the doorframe.  "Well, when I was dating Mary, I was forced to constantly question whether she loved me after learning my assumptions of her feelings were wrong."

            Simon looked up.  _Why me?_  He looked back at Robbie.  "I mean other things."

            "Well, give me some idea what you mean, or what this conversation is about.  I'm not a mind reader, you know."  Robbie crossed his arms.

            Simon looked to the side and wondered if he should tell Robbie the truth.  _No, not yet.  Even I'm not sure what the truth is._  "Well...there's this friend I have, and he's a great guy, cool, popular...but..."

            Robbie nodded and raised his eyebrows.  "But...?"

            Simon sighed.  "Well, he's always been popular with the girls, but lately he's found he's not sure whether that's just to keep up appearances, or if he's really trying to find Mrs. Right."

            Robbie frowned, thinking.  "Keep up appearances?  As in..."

            Simon mumbled something.

            "What?"  Robbie leaned forward, putting a hand to his ear.

            "He...thinks he may be gay."

            "What?!"

            Simon jumped back a bit.  "Well, he's not sure, but he's questioning whether he is or not."

            "So why're you asking me?"  Robbie shook his head and stood straight again.  "This is his problem."

            "That's just it," Simon thought fast, "he's asked for my help, and…raised as I was, I was taught it was a sin, but I can't just tell him that.  He's a great guy and I don't wanna lose a friend."

            Robbie sighed and ran a hand through his hair, scratching the back of his head a moment.  "So you're asking me what I think you should tell him?"

            Simon nodded.  "Yes.  I mean you were raised differently, so maybe you have a way to justify it."

            Robbie went silent for a moment, tilting his head up to stare at the ceiling.  Finally, he looked back to Simon.  "Alright, you want my take?"

            Simon nodded.

            "Personally, I find it disgusting and unnatural."  Simon's shoulders drooped. "But I also kinda think it's not their choice, they're just born that way.  So as long he keeps his business to himself, he's cool.  I mean, sure, he might be checking you out, but he's your friend and he hasn't changed in any other way, has he?"

            Simon waited a few minutes.  "So...I should..."

            "Support him.  He probably needs a friend more than anything at the moment.  Can you imagine if you were talking about someone here?  Your parents would go ballistic, probably kick him outta the house or something."

            Simon shrunk a bit and pulled back his covers.  "Oh...I hadn't thought...about it like that."  _He's right; they would if they found out._

            "That help?"

            "Yeah, I think so."  Simon turned off his lamp.  "Goodnight, Robbie."

            "Night Simon.  I hope you can help your friend."  Robbie closed Simon's door, putting the blond teen in darkness.

            "Me too."  Simon crawled into his bed and stared at the wall.  _I hope you can help me if it comes to it, Robbie._


	2. Meaning

God's In 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

By Cypher

Chapter Two: Meaning

            Simon sighed as he headed into the library.  He hated to spend his lunch hour doing research for a stupid report, but it had to be done.  Looking for his book, he spotted a familiar form typing on a laptop, flipping through pages in a thick textbook.  Curious, Simon headed over.

            "Terry?"

            Terry paused in his typing and looked up.  "Yes, Simon?"

            Simon stood straighter and shrugged.  "Well...you kinda disappeared after our first meeting, and you never told me you went here."

            "You never asked."  Terry went back to typing.  "It's very rare that I have no note taking.  The day I met you was one of those rare days where all I had to do was read and highlight.  Otherwise I spend my lunches here, prepping for my afternoon classes."  He turned the page in his textbook.  

            Simon bit his lip and looked at his hand.  "Listen, about last Friday..."

            "Yes?"  Terry kept his eyes on the textbooks, still tapping the keys.

            "Could you stop typing for a moment?"

            Terry turned another page.  "Not really.  I have to finish these by the end of lunch, and I have thirty-two pages to go through."

            "Oh..."  Simon sat across from Terry, thinking.  "Well, could we meet up after school?"

            Terry sighed and shook his head.  "Simon, when I said Fridays are my relaxation days, I meant it.  I don't have time the rest of the week.  And the only reason I get Fridays off is because I had a nervous breakdown when I worked twenty-four seven."  He kept typing.  "So I'm afraid it'll have to wait until Friday."  He glanced over at Simon.  "If we're still on."

            Simon leaned back, defeated.  "Yeah, sure.  I'll see you at six Friday."

            "Yep.  Talk to you then."  Terry went silent, his typing increasing in speed.

            Simon waited for any other response, then got up and continued on his way to work on his report.  _Nervous breakdown?_  

~*()*~

            "What exactly is a nervous breakdown?"  Simon leaned forward on the couch, waiting for Matt to respond.

            "Well...it's kinda when a person can't take any more and goes nuts."  Matt looked at Simon.  "It's like when Mom can't take any more and just leaves.  She's doing it to save herself from a breakdown."

            "Ah."  Simon rubbed his hands together.  "What's it mean when someone recovers from it?"

            "Why?"

            "Just curious."

            Matt gave him a dubious look.

            "Alright, I'm doing a report and I didn't really understand the dictionary definition."

            "Try again."  Matt crossed his arms.

            Simon sighed and fell back.  "I have a friend that says he had a nervous breakdown, and that's why he takes one night off from stress."

            Matt considered this.  "Okay.  Well, anything can lead to a breakdown, so it's important to know what it was that set him off so that you don't do it accidentally."    
            "Thanks."

            "Is this that guy who you went out with last Friday?"

            Simon hesitated.  "Yeah."

            "I knew there was something fishy about him.  I think there still is."

            "Matt, come on.  Mom has breakdowns all the time, and you don't think she's fishy."

            Matt and Simon went silent a moment, considering what he just said.

            "Okay, so maybe that's not a good example."  Simon stood up.  "But he seems cool, and pretty stable."

            "If he's so stable, why don't you bring him over?"

            "He only gets Fridays off, and we're going to dinner."

            "Oh, is that so.  Where at?"  Matt stepped up to Simon.

            "I don't know.  Some Chinese place near town.  What does it matter?"  Simon tried to step around his brother.

            Matt grabbed his shoulder.  "Because I don't want something to happen to you.  He had a breakdown once, it could happen again at any time."

            Simon shoved the hand off and kept walking.  "I can take care of myself."

            "Just think about it, Simon."

            Simon went upstairs, ignoring Matt.

~*()*~

            Friday once again rolled around, and Simon tried not to think of what Matt said, how another breakdown could happen.  He steeled himself and decided he would ask Terry at dinner about it, among other things.  Climbing into the shower, he failed to hear the doorbell.

            Matt answered the door.  Terry was standing on the other side, dressed in black jeans and a navy t-shirt.  "Hey, Simon ready?"

            "No." 

            Terry shrugged.  "That's okay, I told him I might be early.  I can wait."  He stepped inside.

            Matt stood aside and closed the door behind him.  "You can wait in the living room."  He pointed it out.

            Terry glanced in.  "Seems more like a den."  He walked in and sat on a chair, looking around.  "Nice."

            Matt sat on the couch.  "So, you had a nervous breakdown?"

            Terry blinked, confused for a moment.  "How did you know that?"

            "I'm Simon's brother.  He tells me everything."

            Terry grinned.  "Ah, the ever-protective older brother Matt.  Terry Dax, nice to meet you."  He extended his hand.

            Matt shook it a moment, and then went back to looking at him.  "Well?"

            "Yes, I had a nervous breakdown.  I mean, I had all those advanced classes, work, housework, AND dealing with my family.  Of course I had one.  I was going through the equivalent of," Terry thought a moment, "well, probably what your parents go through raising all of you, holding jobs, and keeping up the house."

            Matt tilted his head up a bit.  "And now?"

            "Well, my brother is helping out more around the house, I have less time at work, and I get Fridays off."  Terry picked up a toy truck and examined it. "It's been working for two years, and no, I don't regress."  He paused.  "Well, once, but temporary amnesia doesn't count."

            "Amnesia?"  Matt sat forward, eyebrows raised.  "How'd you get that?"

            "Hey Matt, I was wondering if you could-" Lucy paused when she saw Terry.  She grinned.  "Hey Dax."

            Terry put the truck down and smiled back.  "Nice to see you again, Lucy.  How ya been?  And the offer's still out there."

            "Oh, I'm doing okay.  And thanks, but I've got a date tonight."  She looked at Matt.  "I was wondering if you could drop me off at the movies?"

            "Uhhh, yeah, sure."  Matt looked at Terry.  "Amnesia?"

            Lucy looked as well.  "You have amnesia?"

            Terry hung his head, slumping a bit.  "No, I'm fine.  It's just something that happened once, that's all."  He sat up.  "And Matt, if Simon tells you everything, he can explain it to you when we get back, alright?"

            "I wanna know now." 

            "We don't always get what we want, do we?"  He stood and looked towards the stairs.  Simon was just coming down, smoothing his black shirt.  "You ready?"

            Simon's head snapped up, surprised.  "You're here?"

            "I said I might be early."  He walked over to the door and opened it.  "Your brother Matt has been entertaining me.  Be sure to thank him when you get back."

            Simon shot Matt a look before going out.  "Sure."  He glanced at Terry as he closed the door.  "You're wearing that on the motorcycle?"

            "Lord, no.  I have the car tonight."  He walked towards a navy Taurus.  "My brother needed to practice on the bike."

            "Practice what?"  Simon caught up with him.

            Terry unlocked the doors and opened the driver's door.  "For his motorcycle license.  He wants it for emergencies."  He got in.

            Simon followed suit. "Oh."  

            Terry started up the car and drove off.  Simon just stared out the window, thinking.  _His cologne smells nice.  Somewhat musky, but there's something that just..._

            "For your brother..."

            "Huh?"  Simon turned to Terry, forgetting what he was thinking for a moment.

            "For when he asks, I got amnesia when my brother blew off the microwave door."

            "He blew off the microwave door?"  Simon's mouth fell open.

            "Well, he thought he could cook eggs in it, and I was just walking in as the whole thing reached critical, and bam, door right to my head.  Was the weirdest week in my life.  At least, that's what I'm told."  Terry chuckled as they pulled up to a stoplight.  "I don't remember a bit of it, but from what I'm told, I made my brother's life a living hell."

            Simon smiled a bit.  "Well, if Ruthie blew the microwave door at my head, I might react the same way."

            "Naw, not you.  You're too kind."  

            Simon went quiet at the comment, unsure of how to respond.

            "So, just for when your brother asks, that's when I had amnesia.  He's very nosy."

            "I said he was protective."

            "I thought you meant protective as in 'hurt my brother I'll hurt you' kinda way."

            "He's like that too.  You get used to it after a while."

            Terry sneezed, turning to the side a moment.  Sniffing, he looked back at the road.  "I couldn't.  Jordon knows better than to snoop in my life without my permission. And vice-versa."

            "You mention him a lot, but not your parents.  Why?"

            It was Terry's turn to go silent.  "I'll explain another time, alright?  For now, I'll just say he's been with me my whole life."

            "Ah."  Simon wondered at Terry's hesitation.

            "Here we are."  Terry parked and got out, looking at the building.  "It's only a three-star, but the service is great, food excellent.  Our family favorite."

            "Three star?"  Simon looked over the building.  He recalled having been driven by it, but never stopping near by.  "Can you afford this?"

            "Of course."  Terry closed the door and headed for the entrance.  "Come on, if we hurry we can get dinner before the next wave of the dinner crowd."

            Simon closed his door and followed, wondering what job got Terry all this money, and was there an opening for him.  It didn't take long for them to get a table, or to order.  However, the surge in noise level made both realize it would be a while before their dinners would arrive.  Simon decided to break the ice.  "So...about the breakdown..."

            "Overworked, over stressed, and under appreciated.  It's okay now.  Really."  Terry sipped his water.  "It's no big deal.  Happened two years ago, water under the bridge."

            "Oh."  Simon fiddled with his napkin.

            "Tell me about your life, though.  And your family.  It's...quite different than I thought."

            So Simon went on to describe his family life, his siblings, his interests, even after the food came, the topic of favorite foods came up.  Two hours had passed before they had finished and headed for the car, still talking about trivial things.  As they got in, however, Terry's hand brushed against Simon's and he realized he had forgotten to ask about last week.  Staring at his hands, he buckled up and waited till they were on the road before bringing up the subject.

            "Listen, Terry," Simon paused.  "Last Friday, you touched my hand in the theater, and then this dinner..."

            Terry glanced at him from the corner of his eye, keeping most of his focus on the road.  "Yes?"

            Simon took a deep breath.  "Are you...interested in me?"  He swallowed audibly.  "As more than a friend, I mean."

            Terry remained silent, driving.  

            Simon looked down, taking the silence as rejection.  "I'm sorry, man.  It's just, well, lately I've been having difficulty telling who I am...what I am.  And, well, all this..."  _Why am I telling him how I feel?  He probably hates me.  Man, I was so stupid to think he was interested._

            Terry pulled up just beyond the yard of Simon's yard and turned off the car.  He looked at the blond boy, who was unbuckling his seatbelt and fiddling with the door handle.  Before he got out, Terry leaned over and quickly kissed him on the lips.  "Does that answer your question?"

            Simon was frozen in place, unsure of how to respond, or even if he should.  _Did he just...kiss me?_  

            Terry gave Simon's back a tap.  "Get going, your family's gonna worry about you.  And next Friday, why don't I bring you to my place.  I'll cook you dinner and we can talk, alright?"

            Simon turned his head, his gray eyes full of confusion.  "I...I don't think I can wait that long."

            Terry smiled and ran a hand through Simon's hair.  Glancing back, he reached to the back seat and pulled forward a small planner.  Opening it, he nodded.  "Alright."  He closed it and patted Simon's shoulder.  "I'll be here tomorrow at ten.  We'll go to my place and talk then.  Kay?"

            Simon nodded slowly.  "Alright."  He fiddled with his hands, unsure of what to do now.

            "Go on.  I'll be by tomorrow on time, alright?"  Terry tossed his tan hair back, offering Simon a reassuring smile.  

            "A-alright."  Simon got out of the car, still a bit stunned.  

            Terry started the car again and drove off, waving at Simon as he went.

            Simon just stared after him, trying to comprehend everything.  Five minutes after Terry had left, he turned and headed for his house.  

            Eric came out of the kitchen drying a dish as Simon walked in.  "Hey, welcome back.  How was the restaurant?"  

            "Fine."  Simon headed for the stairs.

            Annie came down a moment later.  "He looks...upset?"

            "Or confused.  Something happened."

            "What do you think it was?"  Annie looked upstairs after her second son.

            Eric followed her gaze.  "We could call that Jordon guy and find out."

            "Simon would tell us if something was bothering us, though, wouldn't he?"  

            "I don't know, lately something's been going on with him and I'm not sure what."  Eric finished his drying and draped the towel over his shoulder.  "We'll ask him tomorrow.  He looks like he needs time alone."

            "Alright.  First thing tomorrow."  Annie continued on her way to the living room.

            Meanwhile, Simon collapsed on his bed and hugged his pillow, unsure of everything.  His already disturbed world had been turned upside-down further, all by one little kiss.  Robbie and Matt were passing by the door, and stopped when they saw Simon's state.

            Matt went in and patted Simon's shoulder.  "Hey buddy, you okay?"

            "M'fine."

            "Doesn't look like it.  Did something happen at dinner?"  Robbie came up behind Matt.

            "I'm fine."  Simon sat up a bit, glaring at the two older boys.  "I just wanna be alone for a bit, alright?"

            "Alright."  Robbie backed away, pulling on Matt's shirt a bit.

            Matt hesitated, then rubbed Simon's head.  "Well, if you wanna talk, I'm here."

            "I know."  Simon laid back down.  "But I need to think right now, that's all."

            "Alright, we understand."  Robbie exited the room, motioning for Matt to do the same.

            Matt followed after Simon remained silent a few moments.  Closing the door behind Matt, Robbie shook his head.  "Something happened.  I've rarely seen him this upset."

            "And I have a feeling I know who did this."  Matt headed for the stairs.

            "Whoa there.  We can't just go call up Simon's friend."

            "Why not?"  Matt faced his roommate and crossed his arms.  "If he did this to Simon, he's certainly not a friend."

            "We don't know his number, or even where he lives."  Robbie crossed his own arms.  "Besides, it could be a bad reaction to the food."

            "I don't think it is.  I just have a bad feeling about this."  Matt rubbed his upper arm.  

            "Let's trust in Simon, alright?  He'll come to you when he's ready.  He always does.  You're his older brother."

            Matt nodded.  "You know, you're right.  He always confides in me."  He patted Robbie's back.  "Thanks."

            In his room, Simon undressed and crawled into his bed.  _Maybe sleep will help me clear my head and understand all of this._  He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~

Author's Note:  Simon's eyes.  I've chatted with friends, checked the biography, and finally I just watched the show.  After all of that, I've settled on gray eyes.  I know, some people say they're blue, and the biography says he has green eyes. I've found that when those two colors end up in eyes, a person switches between the two, depending on the light.  When the light is neutral, and there's no dominance between the two, the person's eyes are gray in color.  So, I'll be referring to them as gray most of the time.  (In my opinion, I think it's because they make David Gallagher wear blue contacts to match the Camden family genetics.)


	3. Questions

God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

_by Cypher_

Chapter Three: Questions

          "When's Simon getting up?  It's nearly nine."  Matt paced in the living room.

          "Calm down.  He sleeps in on weekends.  You know that."  Robbie drank his glass of orange juice.  "Besides, he'll come to you, not the other way around.  Simon has his own way of dealing with things."

          "What things?"  Annie walked into the room, bringing the twins.  "What things is Simon dealing with?"

          Matt paused in his pacing.  "You know he's dealing with things?"

          Eric followed Annie, bringing some of the twins' toys with him.  "We know he's dealing with things, do you know what things?"

          "We don't know, but we know who knows."  Matt crossed his arms and nodded.  

          "Who knows what we don't know about Simon dealing with things we don't know about?"  Eric blinked, unsure of what he just said for a moment.

          "Terry."  

          Robbie nodded.  "Terry."

          "Terry..."  Annie looked at Eric.  
          "Terry?  Where?"  Lucy wandered into the living room.  "We're talking about Terry Dax?"

          "Well, we were talking about Simon."  Eric sat down and put the toys in front of Sam and David.  

          "Simon?  He's taking a shower."  
          Matt and Robbie exchanged glances, Annie tilted her head, and Eric looked at the ceiling.  The twins made some noises and pointed up.  Lucy just raised an eyebrow and shook her head.  "What's wrong with Simon?"

          "He's upset."

          "Confused."

          "Acting strange."

          Lucy lowered her head and stared at her family.  "He seems fine.  Certainly acted normally when he asked me to keep an ear out for the doorbell."

          "Doorbell?  Are we having company?"  Eric looked around the room.

          "Just to tell him if Dax came early."

          "Ah hah.  So it IS Terry's fault for Simon's mood."  Matt stood up and looked out the window.  

          Robbie grabbed the front page of the paper and began reading, deciding it would be safer to butt out for now.  

          "I don't know what you four are so worked up about."  The other Camdens looked at Lucy.  "He's hanging out with a junior that'll probably end up at Stanford with honors or something.  Maybe he's just being tutored and he was weird last night because he was tired from studying."

          The three other Camdens looked at Lucy, contemplating what she said. 

          "Nah."  Matt shook his head and waved a hand.  "He would ask me before he asked a stranger."

          "And how many times have you forgotten about him because something you felt was more important came up?"  Lucy crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at her older brother.  

          "Well...I...that is..." Matt rubbed his head and put a hand in a pocket.  "Is anyone hungry?  I'm...gonna go get something to eat."  He pointed towards the kitchen and left.

          "Lucy, why are you sticking up for this Terry guy?"  Eric looked at his daughter.

          Lucy shrugged.  "Well, he seems like a nice guy.  Can't I just stick up for a nice guy every now and then?"

          "She's hoping it wins her brownie points with him so he'll go out with her."  Ruthie entered and sat next to Annie.  

          "Ruthie!" Lucy uncrossed her arms and glared at the younger girl.

          "So you like him?"  Annie eyed Lucy.

          "Yeah...well, so?  Can't I still defend him?"

          "I think you should just go get some breakfast."  Eric nodded towards the kitchen.  "Get Ruthie hers, too."

          Lucy huffed and left.

          "So, when's Terry arriving?"  Ruthie looked between Annie and Eric.

          "Kitchen."  Annie gave her a slight push.

          "Fine, fine.  But I wanna hear all about it when I get back."  Ruthie left.

          Eric shook his head and looked at Annie.  "So what do we do about Terry?"

          "If Lucy's right, I don't want to discourage Simon.  But if it's depressing him..."

          "I know."  Eric rubbed his head.  "Maybe we could ask him to tutor...less harshly?"

          "Maybe, but I don't think it's about tutoring."  Annie crossed her arms and leaned back, looking to the side.  "There's something that's being hidden from us, and I wanna know what it is."

          "Something Terry is hiding?"

          "Him and Simon.  And I want to find out what it is."

          "How do we do that without letting them know we're on to them?"

          "I'm working on it."

          Simon came down the stairs, fully dressed in jeans and a gray shirt.  "Hey guys, I'm going to Terry's for the day.  I should be back tonight."

          "What are you doing?" Annie looked at her son.  "Studying?"

          Simon thought for a moment.  "Kinda.  I...don't get something, and he's going to explain it to me."

          "Does this have to do with last night?" Eric glanced over as well, keeping one eye on the twins.

          Simon shifted from one foot to the other.  "Yeah.  It's really complicated, but he promised to explain it to me today.  Otherwise I have to wait until next Friday...and I really can't wait that long."

          "Well, what is it?  Maybe we can help."  Eric partially turned around.

          Annie nodded in agreement.

          Simon opened his mouth, then closed it again. _I can't tell them._

          "It's about hyperbolic functions and their derivatives within the context of negative integrals and the practical applications to life."

          Simon turned a relieved face to the front door, which had Terry leaning in, smiling.  "Hey Terry."

          "Hey.  Sorry about not knocking, but it was unlocked."  Terry stepped in and tilted his head at the Camden parents, smiling.  "That explain what we'll be working on today?"

          "Uhh..."  Eric looked at Annie.

          Annie gave a strained smiled.  "Alright.  When will you be home?"

          "Well, we're going over a few other things, so it may not be until late tonight."

          Annie looked at Simon.  "Alright.  Call if you won't make dinner."

          "He will.  Come on, Simon.  I left the bike running." Terry headed out.

          "Bye."  Simon followed quickly.

          Eric had raised eyebrows towards his wife.  "You understood that?"

          "Not a word, but that's not what they're doing."  Annie frowned.

          "What do you mean?  He just said-"

          "I heard what he said, but I don't believe him."  Annie picked up one of the twins.  "We'll talk to Simon about it when he gets back."

          "Why not just ask him now?"  Eric picked up the other twin just as the sound of a motorcycle pulling away was heard.  "Ah, well..." Eric blinked and pointed to the door.  "Did we just let Simon go riding on a motorcycle with a kid barely older than him?"

          Annie rolled her eyes and headed for the kitchen.  "Yes, but there's not much we can do now, is there."

~*()*~

          "Jordon!  I'm home!"  Terry placed his helmet on a hook by the door, his jacket beneath it.  "Yo, you in?"

          Simon glanced around the room.  He was slightly surprised when Terry had just driven fifteen blocks to a small house.  There was a rose garden in front of the lawn, acting as a fence.  There was a small porch, too, that contained a table and a couple chairs.

          "Guess he's not home.  Just go ahead and put the helmet next to mine."  Terry headed off.

          Simon looked to the right of the door and found a second hook.  He placed the helmet on it and took a longer glance around the room.  There were two couches to the right of the front door, catty-corner, facing a flat screen TV hanging on the wall opposite the door.  A squat bookcase sat below the TV, containing a DVD player, VCR, and a number of tapes and DVDs.  

          Terry stretched and entered a doorway next to the couch.  "You thirsty?  Hungry?"

          "Uh, no, thanks, though."  Simon took a seat on the couch facing the TV.  The wall next to the door had a window to the outside, though it had its shades drawn.  The wall on his left had more bookcases, these filled to the brim with books of ever variety Simon had heard of: theology to science fiction to astronomy.  He also noted a lot of the textbooks Dax brought to school.  _So he owns them._  The left wall also had a doorway, opposite the kitchen one.  _Must lead to his room._  Simon found the thought of visiting Terry's room warming for some reason and he blushed slightly.

          Terry returned with a bottle of water.  Opening it, he looked Simon over.  "So you want a tour now?  Or just ask questions."

          Simon stood up, rubbing his hands together a bit.  "Um, how about a tour?"  
          Terry glanced over his shoulder.  "Through here's a small hallway leading to the kitchen and garage/laundry/pantry on the right.  The left leads to a dinning room and out to the back yard."

          Simon stood next to Terry and looked down the hall.  There were a number of paintings on the wall.  Some, he noted, had Terry's signature as the artist.  "You do artwork?"

          "I gave it up a while ago.  Though every now and then I have an urge to do it and indulge."  Terry sipped from his water.  "Next year I'm taking an art class.  Need to ensure college credit in fine arts."  Terry headed for the other doorway.  "This is the living room, which you've studied."  He stopped at the other doorway.  "Hallway that leads to the bathroom and three bedrooms.  Though the third is mostly used as an office."

          Simon took another moment to examine a wall scroll he saw before heading over to Terry.  "Which is your room?"

          "The far one."  Terry pointed to the farthest back right door.  "We like our privacy, plus when I was younger Jordon needed the sound cushioning."

          "Sound cushioning?"  Simon furrowed his brow.  "Loud music?"

          "Sort of."  Terry headed down the hall.  "The first door on the left is my brother's.  I'll spare you the view."  He smirked.  "Usually looks like a town in the aftermath of a hurricane."  Terry kept walking.  "First door on the right is the bathroom, Jacuzzi tub, a shower, dual vanity sinks."  He shrugged.  "Comes in handy when we're in there the same time in the morning."  

          Simon looked in.  "Jacuzzi?  Did you pay to install that yourself?"

          Terry shook his head.  "Mom went all out remodeling.  She's only here maybe two days a year, but since we liked it here the most, she decided it was worth it."  He opened the second door on the left.  "Guest room, as you can see, our desktop computer lives here."

          Simon looked in.  A small dresser and bed took up half the room, the other half was taken up by a desktop computer, printer, and other equipment placed on a large desk.  "Who stays here?"

          "People who need a place to sleep when they want to get away from their families, guests, mom when she visits."  Terry went to the last door.  "My room isn't very clean, but it's cleaner than Jordon's."  He opened it a bit.

          Simon found himself hurrying over to look in.  Forcing himself to slow down, he noted that Terry's room was bigger than the guest room.  A music stand and a thin case stood in the far corner. "You play something?"

          "The flute.  I still do when I need to concentrate.  I find the ability to focus emotions through a medium help me sometimes."  Terry closed the door and headed back to the living room.  "But we came to talk about you, right?"

          Simon's shoulder slumped a bit and he followed the older teen.  "Oh, yeah..."

          Terry took a seat in the corner of the couch, where they could face each out.  He placed his bottle on the end table.  "Sit, let's talk.  I know this is...difficult?  Confusing?"

          Simon sat where Terry indicated and hunched forward, resting his arms on his knees.  "How can you know?  I mean, all my life I've been taught it's wrong, and now I suddenly find myself..." Simon looked away.

          "Attracted to men, going against everything you've ever learned?"  Terry sat back.  "You're not the first person I've helped through this transition.  I went through it too, though I realized it earlier than most."

          Simon looked back at Terry.  "How?  I mean, you're smart and all, but you don't seem like you'd have time to even consider a love life, not to mention realizing that you're gay."

          "Well, mom introduced sexuality to me, and to some extent Jordon, very early on.  I was only seven, and my brother, he practically had blood dripping from his nose, and he was twelve."  Terry got up and looked through some tapes, before bringing one back.  He handed it to Simon.

          Simon turned bright red just glancing at the cover.  "Pornographic animation?"

          "Anime."  Terry turned the box over.  "The plotline dealt with realizing sexuality, and you can't have that without certain sexual scenes."  He chuckled.  "Our teachers were furious, but the kids voted mom 'Mother of the Year' just on this alone.  It was quite amusing."  Terry stared past Simon for a moment before his grin shrank, returning to the serious expression he had before.  "The point, though, is that she didn't want us to grow up unsure of ourselves.  Jordon right off knew he was straight.  Period.  And though he won't ever admit it, the wet dreams reinforced it."  Terry took the tape back and put it where it belonged.

          Simon coughed a moment, regaining his train of thought.  "But...you...weren't sure?"

          Terry came back and drank some of his water.  "Bingo.  I watched mom's suggested list over and over, and the more I watched, the more I realized it was the guys I was attracted to, not the women.  So she got a shounen ai," he glanced at Simon's confused look, "boy-love series, and I realized I could sympathize more with that plotline.  I did explore the opposite sex for a short time, but my real first crush was on a boy, not a girl."

          "Does your brother know?  Did he...object?"  Simon looked towards the television.

          "Does he know?  Hell, he gave me the shove to ask my crush out.  He's always been supportive of me.  You wouldn't know it, but he actually is quite responsible and protective when it comes to me.  He taught me to defend myself should I get picked on because of my orientation.  He helped me explore who I was, my talents, the advantages and disadvantages to coming out."  Terry finished his water and looked at Simon.  "Like I'm going to help you."

          "Did I mention I really appreciate it?"  Simon stared at his hands again.  "I mean, I've been dating for years, but now that I think about it," Simon laughed a little, "now that I think about it, it was because I was trying to be like Matt and all the other guys at school.  It was like I was...expected to or something."  
          "You're not your brother, though."  

          "But haven't you ever tried to mimic your brother?  To be more like him?"  Simon looked over at Terry.

          Terry sat back and put a hand to his chin, thinking.  "Well, getting into college above freshman year.  Otherwise, not really.  We love each other greatly, and he looks out for me, but we're entirely different people in so many respects that I never tried to be like him.  I mean, even our first jobs were completely opposite, he went out for a job at the library, and I-" Terry blinked and looked at Simon.  "Uh, I went for something different."

          Simon tilted his head.  "You don't want to tell me?"

          "Another thing I've found wise is to hide what I do for an after school job.  Besides, you'll find out this Sunday, probably."

          "Why?"

          "You just will. The point is," Terry patted Simon's arm, "you're not your brother, and you can't be who your family expects you to be.  You have to be yourself, no matter what."

          "But how?"  Simon rested his forehead in his hands.  "Dad would go nuts, mom, well, I don't even want to think about what she'd do.  And my brothers and sisters, they'd hate me!"

          Terry leaned forward and looked into Simon's eyes.  "Do you really think your family would care so little as to pass judgment without an explanation, without hearing you out?"

          "Well, they..." Simon paused, unsure.  "I'm pretty sure mom and dad would go bonkers.  Matt too, probably."

          "And the others?"

          "I'm...not entirely sure."  Simon sighed.  "I don't even know if this is me and already I'm worrying over telling my family."

          "Well, the first step is to explore it, see if this is a phase, or who you are."  Terry stood up and headed for the kitchen, carrying his empty bottle.  

          Simon sat there, staring at the floor.  _A phase...this could all be a phase.  Damn it, why me?  What did I ever do to deserve this?_

          Terry came back with two more bottles, one he handed to Simon.  "Why don't we start with the obvious question."

          Simon took the bottle and looked up at Terry.  "What question is that?"

          "Why are you attracted to me, and men in general?"

          Simon blushed a bit and looked away.  "Well...I'm not really sure.  I mean, I've noticed other men, but why I like them more...I'm not sure."

          "Why don't I start with what attracted me to you."

          Simon turned back to Terry.  "Isn't it just because I came under your tree?"

          Terry chuckled, opening his bottle.  "That's part of it, but only a small part."  Terry put his bottle down and held up his hand, ticking off reasons with his fingers.  "By everything I heard, you were a sweet, caring, sensitive guy.  You're smart, not ignorant about the world or life."  Terry smirked a bit.  "I've always had a thing for cute blonds."

          Simon ran a hand through his hair.  "But how did you know..."

          "I didn't.  That's always a risk.  But when I saw your eyes, I knew you were fighting with something, that you needed someone to help you with something.  I just took a stab at what it was.  To be honest, I would have asked you out even if you weren't gay just because you are such a nice guy.  But when you didn't pull your hand away, I knew what it was."

          "Oh..." Simon crossed his arms.  

          "So why are you attracted to me?  Or men in general?"

          "I'm...not sure.  Some of the girls I've gone out with were really nice to be with...but we always ended up just being friends.  Plus until recently, my house has been dominated by the female gender."

          "You mean three sisters and only one brother?"

          Simon nodded.  "And men kind of seem more reliable than women."  
          "That's from dating so many women that just want to be friends.  Women are very reliable, believe me."  Terry thought a moment.  "Well, most anyways.  Now, what about me?"

          Simon blinked and bit his lip.  "I think...just your eyes.  They're so...captivating."  He sat up and held up a hand.  "Not to say that you don't look great or have a bad personality or anything.  I mean, you're the only person I've talked to about this, and you've been so helping that you're one of the best people I've met.  But...am I making sense?"

          Terry rolled his eyes and smiled.  "Simon, its okay.  This is a journey you're undertaking.  You just have to realize things for yourself.  If my eyes are all that attracted you, that's fine.  When we first met, that's basically all you knew about me."

          "Oh, sorry, though.  You've been great-"

          "Simon, you.  Focus on you."  Terry patted Simon's knee.  "I've passed the journey.  Now I'm helping you go through it."

          "But what if I'm straight and this is all useless?"  Simon took Terry's hand and held it.  "I mean, won't you be angry if you go through all of this and I decide to go with girls again?"

          Terry squeezed Simon's hand.  "It's never useless to explore who you are.  God doesn't make mistakes, and if you're gay, I'm happy.  If you're straight, I'm still happy.  We'd still be friends."

          "God?" Simon blinked.  "But...I mean, doesn't the bible say that...it's wrong?"

          "In the old school of thinking.  I find even I need the consolation that everything is in the hands of a higher being that has our interests in mind.  I'm part of a more progressive Christian denomination that accepts homosexuality as something that existed in biblical times, and has returned today.  And they interpret homosexuality as acceptable within certain contexts."  
          Simon turned slightly, facing Terry more.  God had always been a source of comfort, and hearing that God might accept him for this helped calm him a bit.  "What...what type of contexts?"

          "For starters, it's not just for the sake of having a good time.  God created Tabris, who gave us free will, which means we choose who we fall in love with.  If we find our true love is in a man, then yes, it's fine."  Terry frowned.  "On the other hand, if you just want to screw a guy for the heck of it, that is a sin.  It's why I keep my relationships very defined, with no sex."

          Simon nodded a bit.  "Just, who is Tabris?"

          Terry blinked.  "You do know of the angels, do you not?  The Angel of the Womb, the Angel of Fear?"

          Simon shook his head.

          "Well, Tabris is the Angel of Free Will.  The angels are, of course, optional to believe in."  Terry tilted his head.  "You want to come to my church Sunday?  You can learn more from the reverend there."

          "I..." Simon's eyes went to the ground.  "I can't.  My dad's a minister, and I have to be at his service."

          "Hey, I understand."  Terry got up and went to one of the bookcases.  "Still, why don't I give you some reading.  It may help you reach peace with God about your sexuality."  He pulled out two books.  "The other just has info on the angels and such."  He brought them back and set them next to Simon.

          Simon picked up one and flipped through it.  "What if my family asks why I have these books?"

          "Tell them you're doing a school project that requires this for source materials.  Say it's..."  Terry looked at the ceiling.  "Hmm...say it's for English.  They have you reading obscure references all the time."

          Simon frowned.  "They do?"

          Terry blinked and looked at him.  "Well, in AP they do.  Don't they in normal English?"

          "Not usually."

          "Well, I doubt they'd know that."

          Simon thought about that for a moment. "Alright."

          "So, why don't we continue with analyzing why you may or may not be gay," Terry looked at his watch, "after I make us lunch."

          Simon sat up and looked at his watch as well.  "It's already one?!"

          "Time flies when you're debating life-altering decisions."  Terry headed for the kitchen.

          Simon followed him.  "You're telling me.  Will we finish by dinner?"

          "No, but I'll make sure we're at a breaking point.  Then next Friday, why don't I come over for dinner?"

          "What?"  Simon's eyes widened.  "B-b-but I'm not even sure-"

          "To meet your family, Simon.  I'll bring mine so your parents will relax a bit around me.  I won't say a thing about what happened here, or about my preference."

          Simon visibly relaxed.  "Oh, well, I think that'd be okay."

          "Great, now, turkey or ham on your sandwich?"


	4. Dinner

God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

By Cypher

Chapter 4: Dinner

            Simon made it home by dinnertime, carrying the books Terry had given him in a small book bag that Terry had loaned him.  He felt a great deal better, both having talked of his problems, and of learning that God didn't necessarily condemn him for his feelings.  As he approached his house, however, he felt nervous.  If they found the books, or he said the wrong thing, his world could come crumbling down.  He stopped walking and stared at the ground, thinking.  He was only ten feet from the door, but to Simon it felt too close.  He felt the need to go elsewhere, to study the books and return when he was sure he could sneak them in.

            "Hey there."  

            Simon mentally groaned.  He hadn't even heard Robbie come up behind him.  "Hey..."  He held the bag closer, making sure the books were covered.

            "Whatcha doing out here?"  Robbie stepped up next to Simon and looked at the house, putting his hands in his pockets.  "Watching the paint peel?"

            "Just...thinking.  That's all.  It was a heavy review session, and I kinda got lost in thought.  I just forgot where I was going."

            Robbie shook his head and put an arm around Simon's shoulders.  "Simon, you know your family stinks at lying, right?"

            Simon looked at the hand on his shoulder.  "What makes you think I'm lying?"  He pushed the arm off.  "Besides, what is it to you?  You're not mom or dad.  If I don't want to tell you something, that's my choice."

            Robbie held up his hands and backed up a bit.  "Hey, just trying to help ya, that's all."  He lowered his arms.  "You're like a brother, Simon.  I just wanna make sure you're okay and not in any trouble or anything."

            Simon's shoulders slumped.  "Sorry, man.  It's...I'm just dealing with a lot, and these extra studies are making me tired."

            "Maybe you should stop.  It's not like you really need it.  You're doing great in school."

            Simon ran a hand through his hair.  "I need it."  He headed for the house, Robbie right behind him.

            "Hey, you made it for dinner.  We were starting to worry."

            Simon nodded at his mother.  "Yeah.  I'll be down in a few."  He headed up stairs.

            Annie waited a moment or two.  "Well?"

            Robbie leaned on the counter and shrugged.  "Whatever it is, he's attributing to extra studies."

            "But Simon doesn't need any extra studying.  He does fine in school."  Annie grabbed the silverware.

            Robbie grabbed the plates and headed for the dinning room.  "That's what I said, so I think he's hiding whatever it is.  But he doesn't want us to know about it, at least, not me."

            Annie sighed.  "Alright.  Thanks."

            Simon came back down, having dropped the bag in his room in a place he was pretty sure Ruthie wouldn't find it.  "Oh, Mom?"

            "Yes?"  Annie faced her son.  

            "Are we doing anything next Friday?"  Simon rested his hands on the back of a chair.

            "Lucy or Robbie might get dates, but otherwise, I don't think so, why?"

            Simon rubbed the back of his neck.  "Well, Terry wants to bring over his family for dinner, so that you'll feel more comfortable with him.  But if you don't want to..."

            Robbie and Annie exchanged glances.  Robbie raised his eyebrows, while Annie turned back to Simon.  "That sounds fine.  Tell him dinner's around six."  
            "Okay, I will."  Simon tapped fingers on the back of the chair, looking as if he was about to say something else.  After a minute, Simon seemed to change his mind and headed for the stairs again.  "I'll help dad get the twins."  
            "Alright.  Thanks Simon."

            Simon nodded and left.

            "Matt and I still think this Terry guy knows what this is all about."

            "Well, you and Matt can ask him next Friday."  Annie went back to the kitchen.  "Help me set the food, would you?"

            "Sure thing, Mrs. Camden."  Robbie followed her.

~*()*~

            "So, I was just thinking that for one or two Sundays I could visit his church.  That's all."

            Eric was carrying one of the twins, Simon picking up the second.  "And the reason for this would be...because you don't like my sermons?"

            "No, no.  Nothing like that."  Simon shifted his hold on the twin, making himself more comfortable.  "He invited me because he thought I might like to see it, plus his family and friends go there.  Please?  It's not like I've ever asked this, and you'd let Matt go to a girlfriend's church."  Simon suddenly bit his lip.  "I mean..."

            "Is this about a girl, then?  Because if so, Simon..."

            "It's not about a girl.  I just want to see where he goes.  He's new in town and doesn't have many friends at our school.  Maybe if I understood his religion better we'd have more to talk about and I could help him find new friends."  
            "You're not going to convert, are you?"

            "Dad."  Simon lifted Sam up a bit in his grip.  "Dad, I just wanna be friends with this guy, and he invited me to his church.  One Sunday, is that too much to ask?"

            "Let me think it over."  Eric headed for the door.

            Simon followed.  "Well, he's coming over next Friday with his family.  After you meet them would it be okay?"  
            "Maybe."  Eric headed downstairs.

            Simon sighed and headed down as well.

~*()*~

            "You're sure it's Dax that's coming over?"  

            Ruthie nodded.  "Next Friday.  He's brining his family, too."

            "Great.  Once he gets to know my family maybe he'll want to go out."

            "I don't think he's going to go out with you, Lucy.  He turned you down, what, two times now?"

            Lucy tilted back and forth a moment.  "True, but third time's a charm, right?  And I've got a whole week to prepare to meet his family."

            "I wonder if they're as weird as he is."  Ruthie sat on a bed.

            "He is not weird."  Lucy crossed her arms.  "And how did you come to think he was?  You've never even met him."

            "I've heard things."  Ruthie nodded.  

            "What things?"  

            "Well, he's always moving, he spends all his time in the library, and he disappears after school."

            "And you come to the conclusion weird how?"  Lucy raised an eyebrow.

            "I also heard he's got red eyes."

            Lucy rolled her eyes and stood up.  "He's got brown ones.  I've seen them myself."

            "Maybe you just think you've seen them.  He could be tricking you."

            "Why would he want the world to think he had red eyes?  That's just dumb."

            "Say what you want.  He's got red eyes."

            Lucy let out a frustrated sigh and headed downstairs for dinner.

~*()*~

            Another week came and went, Simon's nervousness growing as Friday approached.  What if Terry decided to tell his family about his own preference?  Or if his brother let it out that Terry was gay, and that Simon was thinking about it?  What if his mother was a total nutcase, or what if Matt figured it out?  Friday after school, however, Terry pulled Simon aside and gave him a little pep talk, reassuring him everything would go fine.  Simon felt more relaxed, deciding Terry probably knew what he was doing.

            Annie spent the day preparing a special dinner, leaving the table cleared until they knew how many people would be joining them, though she predicted four, she tripled the recipes instead of doubling them as she usually did.  Lucy spent the majority of the day looking through her closet, deciding what to wear, how to ask Terry out, when would be the right time, and other such details.  Matt and Robbie planned their own little party, something where they could gang up on the teen and find out what was going on with Simon.  

            As six rolled around, Simon went to the living room, listening for the doorbell.  When a motorcycle died down outside his house, he furrowed his brow, wondering what was going on.  Opening the door, he saw Terry get off his bike and take off his helmet.  Simon found himself staring as Terry tossed his hair a bit to un-mat it.  He snapped out of it when his parents came up behind him.

            Terry walked up to the door, helmet in hand.  "Hey Simon.  Mr. and Mrs. Camden, it's nice to meet you again."

            "Ah, hi...Terry was it?"  Eric shook Terry's free hand.

            "Call me Dax.  It's easier to remember, after all."  He bowed his head to Annie.  "You look lovely."

            "Oh, thanks."  Annie looked outside.  "I thought you said your family was coming."

            "Ah yes."  Terry stepped inside and looked for a place to set his stuff.  Simon took it from Terry and placed it on a table.  "Mom and dad can't make it, but Jordon will try to."  He shrugged.  "I'll explain over dinner, if you're ready."

            "Of course."  Annie and Eric looked at each other before heading for the dinning room.

            Simon bit his lip and glanced at Terry.  "You said-"

            Terry patted Simon's hand.  "I'll explain over dinner.  I'm starved."

            Simon blushed slightly and headed for the kitchen.

            Lucy bounded down the stairs and walked up to Terry.  "Hey there."

            "Oh, hey Lucy.  Oh, by the way," Terry took off his coat and put it with his helmet.  He dug into his pockets and pulled out a piece of paper.  He handed it to Lucy.  "This is for you.  He's a friend of mine, about your age, and he's very interested in meeting you.  Mind giving him a call?  He's really nice, I promise."

            Lucy's grin faded a little.  "Oh...well, thanks."  She took the paper.  "I was gonna ask you out again...but it seems-"

            "Lucy, you're a great girl.  But I'm afraid I'm just too busy, and to be honest, you're not my type."

            Lucy's eyebrows rose.  "I'm not your type?"

            "You're too old for me, and though age doesn't really make a difference, I want someone I can share education with."  Terry patted Lucy's shoulder and squeezed it lightly.  "But if you'd like to just be friends, I'd love that."

            Lucy sighed, pocketing the paper.  "Well, so much for third time's a charm."

            "I'd say that number I gave you is quite a charm for you."  Terry winked.  "He's an underwear model."

            "You're kidding, right?"

            Terry shook his head.  "He's pretty smart too.  He's just modeling for college money, but he's smart enough to get a partial scholarship."  Terry headed for the dining again.

            "An underwear model."  Lucy stopped walking after him.  "Wait, he's not gonna try-"

            "He's a devoted Christian, won't have anything like that until after marriage.  Believe me, I've heard many a story from him about upset women who couldn't get him to...you know."

            Lucy nodded and headed for the kitchen.  "In that case," she kissed Terry's cheek, "thanks."  

            Terry grinned and went into the dining room.  He faced the Camden clan.  "Thanks for having me over, by the way."  Terry took a seat next to Simon.

            "No problem."  Eric made sure the other kids were present.  "You don't mind if we say a prayer-"

            "Go ahead.  It's tradition in our family too."  Terry closed his eyes.

            "Oh, well, you want to do it for us?"  
            Terry blinked his eyes open.  "You sure?  It's your house and all..."

            "Ah, go ahead."  Eric waved his hand.  "Let's hear what your blessing sounds like."

            "Alright."  Terry closed his eyes again and put his hands together.  "Itadakimasu."  Terry opened his eyes.  "That's it."

            The Camdens exchanged glances.  Simon shook his head, beginning to worry again.  

            "What was that?"   Annie tilted her head.

            " At our house we usually say prayers in one of two languages, depending on whose night it is to say them.  I tend to use informal Japanese, while my brother switches between English and Osaka dialect."  Terry began eating.  "This is very good.  You'll have to give me the recipe."

            Annie nodded.  "Thanks."

            "Osaka is Japanese too, isn't it?  It's the same language, right?"

            Terry looked over at Robbie.  "Actually, it's different.  The Osaka dialect is more informal, the American equivalent of slang or lazy speaking."  Terry ate a bit more.  "I don't believe I've met you.  You are...?"

            "Robbie.  I live here."

            "Cool, nice to meet you."  He turned towards Ruthie.  "You must be Ruthie, and the twins are Sam and David?"  
            "Yeah."  Simon nodded.

            "So where're your parents?"  Ruthie asked, eating a bit.  "I thought we were going to meet your family."

            "Ruthie."  Simon gave his sister a warning look.

            "It's alright."  Terry put his fork down and thought a moment.  "Dad's in New York, working with some particle accelerator.  Mom's in...I think she's in the Ukraine today.  And my brother had to pull an emergency shift where he works.  Like I said, he'll try and make it."

            "Ukraine?  Why would your mother be in the Ukraine?"  Annie frowned.  "And what does your brother do?"

            "And what do you do?  I heard you have a job, but no one knows what it is."  Matt rested an arm on the table.

            Terry shook his head and ate a bit.  

            "Guys, stop with the third degree.  I mean, he's my friend."  Simon patted Terry's back.  "So some things came up.  What's the big deal?"

            "I wanna know how you know a model."  Lucy ate a bit more.  "Much less got his number."

            "Fine, fine.  I should be used to this, anyways."  He leaned back in his chair.  "Mom's in the Ukraine because she's an international reporter.  Dad's a nuclear physicist who rarely sees me, much less is in the same state as his family.  My brother is an assistant to some astronomer a couple towns over.  And as for knowing the model and what I do after school..."  He tilted his head and crossed his arms.  "Well, basically, I'm a model too.  Whatever they need me to do, I do.  For a book cover, a calendar, ads."  He shrugged.  "It's good money, though time consuming."

            "No way, you're a real model?"  Lucy pulled out the phone number and stood up.  "Excuse me, I've got to go make a phone call."  She headed upstairs.  
            The Camden family blinked, watching Lucy run upstairs.

            "Didn't any of you see me in last Sunday's paper?  It was for a sweater at Sears, I think."

            "I thought that guy looked familiar."  Annie ate her salad a bit. 

            "Are you guys satisfied, yet?"  Simon looked around the table.  "He's just a normal teen."  Simon took in the looks from his family and shrugged.  "Kinda."

            "Yeah, normal except that he's a model and has red eyes sometimes."

            "Red eyes?"  Eric looked from Ruthie to Terry.

            Terry coughed.  "Those are my contacts.  Though I shouldn't need them much longer.  I'm getting my eyes lasered in about a month."

            "Lasered?"  Ruthie made a face.  "Doesn't that hurt?"

            "That's what I thought, but apparently it's quite painless, even afterward."  Terry cut into his chicken.  "But I decided it was time to move on from contacts.  I mean, I have to get a new pair almost every month since I lose them.  It just seemed easier and more cost effective in the long run."  

            "Well, I hope it goes well."  Eric raised his water glass a bit. 

            "Thanks."  

            "So how do they do it?"

            Terry laughed and shook his head at Ruthie.  "After dinner I'll tell you what they told me.  I want to make sure your family is satisfied with me."

            "Satisfied?"  Matt raised an eyebrow."

            "With all the questioning going on, I figured you're just sizing me up to see if I'm alright for Simon to hang with."  Terry munched on some vegetables.  "To be honest, I'm probably the most normal one of my family.  Jordon is a science nut, and is constantly looking at things from a scientific standpoint.  My dad lives a solitary life moving from lab to lab doing whatever research, and my mom..."  Terry tilted his head, chewing.  "My mom is...unique.  When you meet her, you'll understand.  There is no real way to describe her in a way that does her justice.  Can you pass the pepper?"

            Simon grabbed it and handed it over.  "Thanks for hanging out this long."

            "My mom's a reporter.  Getting questioned to death is something I'm used to."  Terry peppered his chicken.  "But I try and have a normal life."

            "And you're taking AP classes?"  Matt sipped his milk.  "Why aren't you taking ordinary classes?"

            "I thought Simon told you everything."  Terry smirked a bit.  "I told him already."

            Matt put his glass down.  "Well, I know why, but I figured the rest of the family..."

            "Putting that thought aside," Terry finished his plate and rested his arms on the table, leaning forward a bit.  "You're a reverend, right Eric?"

            "Uh, yep.  Yeah, that's right.  For my church."  Eric shifted a bit, uncomfortable with the informal address Terry had used.

            "You and I are going to have fun debating religious views on modern issues."

            Eric sat up a bit.  "Oh really?"

            "It's one of my favorite things to do with my brother when I'm bored.  One day we'll have to have a debate."  Terry leaned back and turned to the side, coughing.  "Sorry."

            "Hey Dax, thanks!"  Lucy hurried down the stairs grinning.  She went behind Terry and hugged him before returning to her seat.  Simon felt himself envying his sister for a moment.  

            "No prob, Lucy.  Just call if you need another, I've got a ton of single guys who can't get a date.  They can't find a girl interested in stuff beyond looks."  

            "Did," Eric looked at Annie, then Lucy and Terry, "did we miss something?"

            "Nothing important.  I'm sure Lucy will tell you later."

            Annie ahemed and picked up her glass.  "So Terry, where do you go to church?"

            "A little place, about a mile out of Glen Oak.  It's the only chapter of my denomination there is."

            "And that denomination is?"  Eric leaned forward.

            "Does it matter, really?"  Terry smiled at Eric.

            "Well, we're kinda curious."  Matt crossed his arms and leaned them on the table.

            "It's a generic Christian group, but it holds the same views as my last church." Terry held up his hands.  "And we can discuss the finer points of it another day.  I try and avoid religion the first time I meet a family.  It can get people off on a bad foot."

            "Exactly."  Simon pushed his chair back and grabbed his plates.  

            "Oh, let me.  I'm the guest and I'd feel terrible if I didn't help."  Terry made a move to stand.

            "No guest of ours is going to do dishes."  Annie stood up and grabbed his plates.  "That would be inhospitable of us."

            "I insist, you made this wonderful dinner-"

            "No."  Annie headed for the sink.

            "It's best to just go along with what she wants, Dax."  Eric whispered.

            "I heard that."

            Eric winced.  

            Terry relaxed and put his hands together.  "Well, any other questions?  Even trivial?"

            Simon came back and sat in his seat, having been kicked out of the kitchen by his mother.  "Well, I kind of wonder why you and your brother's names are so...different." 

            Eric nodded and pointed to Simon.  "That's a good one."  He put his hand down and looked at Terry.

            Terry turned a bit red and bit his lip.  "It's kinda embarrassing."

            "What, you mean after everything else, THIS is embarrassing?"  Robbie shook his head.  

            "Well, Jordon's first name is Bruce because at the time mom really liked Batman, so...she named him after that."

            "So why do you have two names?  Unless Bruce-"

            "He likes to be called Jordon, Matt."

            "Right.  So does Jordon have a middle name?"

            "No.  You see, my birth was a lot more...painful for my mom.  So they had to give her some morphine for the pain."  

            Annie came back and leaned on the back of her chair.  "I know what that's like."

            Eric scooted his chair away from his wife.  

            "Well, after my birth, she was really kinda outta it, and she told me that she was hallucinating dinosaurs because she had just covered a major paleontological find.  She said 'pterodactyl' but it came out more like 'Terry Dax.'  So that's what the nurse put down."

            "And your father didn't object?"  Eric blinked.

            "To be honest, he was on morphine as well."

            Annie frowned.  "What for?  He didn't give birth."

            Terry nodded.  "That's true, however, mom crushed his hand."

            "She what?"  Eric suddenly found himself very grateful, despite the pain Annie had put him in.

            Terry sighed.  "She broke four of his fingers and dislocated his wrist, and to this day, the doctors say she sounded like a possessed woman when she said 'you touched me.  You will die!' to him."  Terry shrugged.  "Like I said, mom is unique."  

            Simon was staring, as was the rest of the Camden family.

            Terry looked around and held up his hands.  "I tried to tell you it was embarrassing.  But she hasn't broken his hand or sounded possessed since.  It was just the pain."

            "Were you sideways or something?  I mean," Annie tried to picture the scene, and somehow found she could with Eric.  "Why was she in so much pain?"

            "My brother damaged something coming out, and they didn't find out until it was too late with me.  They fixed it so she can have children still, but I don't think she's going to for a while."  Terry scooted away from the table and stood up.  "Pardon, but where's the bathroom?"

            Simon snapped himself out of his daze and stood as well.  "I'll show you."  He headed upstairs, Terry on his heels.

            "Wow..."  Eric sat there staring at the chair Terry had been sitting in.  "Four fingers.  Poor guy."

            Annie whapped his shoulder.  "What about her?"

            "I think his family sounds weird."  Matt faced his parents.  "I mean, she sounded possessed?  I've seen pregnant women sound pissed, weepy, angry, just about everything.  But possessed?"

            "He probably thinks our family is weird, too."  Lucy pushed around the cold meat on her plate.  "He only has his brother, and here's this huge family.  I'm sure he's wondering how we handle it."

            "Lucy's right.  He may seem strange to us, but we're probably strange to him."  Eric leaned forward and rested his head on his hands.  "Still, crushing four fingers..."

~*()*~

            Terry stepped out of the bathroom.  Simon was leaning on the wall next to the door, thinking over the dinner.  He gave Terry a worried look.  "I think you told a bit too much."

            Terry smiled and squeezed Simon's shoulder.  "Nonsense.  Besides, they can think I'm weird, but to me, this huge family is kind of weird.  I mean, you have nine people living here.  That's enormous compared to what I'm used too."

            Simon nodded, putting his hands in his pockets.  "Yeah, it gets a bit crowded, especially with so few bathrooms and only one phone line."

            "Only ONE?!"  Terry's jaw dropped.  "You have only ONE phone line?!"

            Simon nodded.  "Yeah.  How many do you have?  Two?"

            Terry closed his mouth and thought a moment, rubbing his upper arm.  "Five.  Plus two cell phones."

            "Five?  You only have two people there."  Simon headed for the stairs.

            "Well, there's the house line, my personal line, Jordon's personal line, the internet line, and the fax line."  Terry hesitated before following.  "Only one."  He shook his head.  

            "You kind of get used to it.  Five would be a huge luxury."  Simon went to the dinning room again.

            "Five what?"  Lucy looked up from where she was clearing her place.  

            Terry stepped up behind Simon.  "Phone lines."

            "You have five phone lines?"  Lucy faced her dad.

            Eric, his arms filled with plates, nodded for the kitchen and scurried away.

            "What do you need five phone lines for?"  Matt grabbed the silverware.

            Terry sighed.  "Fax, internet, two personal, and home."  Terry looked at his watch.  "Not necessarily in that order."  He pulled out a cell phone and headed for the living room.  "Can you excuse me a moment?"

            "Sure."  Simon started to help clean up as well.  

            "Wonder who he's calling."  Robbie started clearing the table of placemats.

            "His brother."  Ruthie helped Robbie.

            "You shouldn't listen in on other people's conversations on the phone."  Simon glanced at Ruthie.  "Especially guests."

            Terry came back in.  "Oh, I don't mind.  I'll just talk in Japanese."  He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  "My brother's not going to make it." 

            "S'okay.  Hey, how do you know Japanese?"  Simon pushed open the kitchen door with his shoulder.

            Terry walked over and held the door open for them.  "My brother lived there for about two years, then he took me to visit for a month or so, so yeah.  It kind of rubbed off on me.  It was also my second language in grade school."  He looked down at Ruthie.  "You wanted to know how they're going to laser my eyes?"

            "Yeah."  Ruthie put the napkins in the dirty laundry basket.

            "Come on, I'll tell you about it in the living room."  He headed there, Ruthie following.

            Simon set his dishes by the sink and leaned on the counter, sighing.  It was not going as smoothly as he wanted, but it wasn't a disaster, either.  _Thank goodness for small favors._

            "Well, he seems nice."  Annie washed dishes, Eric drying them.  "And he's a recent transfer to your school?"

            "That's how I met him, yeah."  Simon rubbed his forehead.  "He's really a great guy, honest."

            "Oh, he's a great guy."  Eric nodded, agreeing.  "Still, be careful around his family.  Especially his mother."

            "I will.  He's warned me of their quirks."  Simon pushed himself upright and stretched.  "Where are Matt and Robbie?"

            "I think they went to listen to the eye laser thing."

            Simon frowned a bit.  "Thanks."  He headed for the living room.

~*()*~

            "And zap, they're done."

            "Cool.  But why'd you get red contacts?  I mean, your eyes are fine the color they are."

            Terry smirked.  "Shock value, to add a mysterious aspect to me.  Take your pick."

            Ruthie nodded.  "Can I have them after you're done?"

            "Fraid not.  They're too big, prescription, and would really irritate your eyes."  Terry patted her head.  "But maybe for Christmas I'll get you a pair of normal colored contacts, eh?"

            "Thanks."

            "Hey Ruthie, Lucy wants to see you upstairs." Matt entered, followed by Robbie.

            Terry nodded to Ruthie.  "You best get going.  Don't keep your sister waiting."

            Ruthie sighed and headed for the stairs.  

            Matt stood a few feet away from Terry, arms crossed.  Robbie was slightly behind him, standing in the same position.  Terry broke the silence first.

            "So ask what you want."

            "What's wrong with Simon?  Ever since he met you he's been...different, and we want to know why."  Matt stood taller, trying to look imposing.

            "I thought Simon told you everything."

            Robbie looked to the ceiling a moment.  "Please, we're just worried about him."

            "If there was something wrong, he'd tell you.  Everyone goes through at least one depression during high school.  First month of APs I was so down my brother got me to a psychologist to make sure I was fine.  This is just Simon's time, probably."

            Matt shook his head and pointed at Terry.  "No, no it's something else.  Camdens don't go through depressions in high school."

            "He seems fine to me, guys.  Why don't you ask him what the problem is?"

            Robbie stepped up next to Matt.  "Because he just says it's school work, and we know he's lying."

            Terry met Robbie's eyes.  "And how do you know he's lying?  Do you really know him so well that you can definitively declare that?"

            Robbie nodded.  "And if I can't, Matt can.  He's been Simon's older brother his whole life."

            Terry moved his gaze to Matt's eyes.  Matt met it, then began to waiver.  Finally, he looked away.  "Something's wrong with Simon, and we know you know."

            "Simon seems fine to me.  Maybe you two are reading too much into things.  Besides, isn't Simon's life his own?  You two shouldn't poke where you don't belong."

            "Let me tell you-"

            "Matt! Robbie!"  Simon pushed past the two older guys and stood in front of Terry.  "He's right, you know.  It's my life and I'll tell you if something is wrong.  So just stop bothering him."

            Matt stepped forward.  "Simon-"

            "Leave him alone.  I'm fine, I'm just having a hard time with schoolwork and he's helping me, okay?  So just knock it off."  Simon's hands curled into fists a moment.

            Robbie noticed and stepped back. "Alright, Simon.  We were just worried, that's all."

            "Well, I'm fine."

            Matt gave Terry a warning look, then stepped back.  "Sorry, Simon.  We just wanted to make sure you weren't hanging around with the wrong guy."

            "I think I'd know if he was trouble.  You've pretty much set me straight on who's good to hang out with."

            Matt nodded.  "Alright."  He turned and left, Robbie following.

            Simon sat down next to Terry and sighed, closing his eyes.  "I'm sorry about my family.  Thanks for sticking around so long."

            "You think my brother doesn't grill my friends?  Once I caught him doing a background check using mom's connections.  We all have our paranoid siblings.  They're just looking out for us, that's all."  He took Simon's hand and squeezed it.  "Don't worry about it.  Tonight went great."

            "I'm glad one of us thinks so."  Simon opened his eyes and looked down at their hands, blushing slightly.  "Sorry your family couldn't make it."

            "Eh, I don't think your parents would've withstood mom.  She's intense."

            Simon chuckled.  "Sure sounds like it."

            Terry let go of Simon's hand and glanced at his watch.  "It's time for me to go.  I've got an early shoot tomorrow."  He stood and stretched.  

            Simon stood as well.  "Um, thanks for coming over and withstanding my parents."  He shifted from one foot to another.

            "You already said that."  Terry ruffled Simon's hair and went for his stuff.  

            Eric caught sight of him and stepped into the entryway.  "Going already?"

            "Afraid so.  Early shoot."  Terry put on his coat and held his helmet in one hand.  The other he held out.  "Thanks for having me over, and tell Annie to send me the recipe.  It was really good."  
            Eric shook it.  "I'll do that."

            Terry smiled and turned, heading for the front door.  

            "Hey Te...Dax.  Why don't you come to my church Sunday?  Since you invited Simon to yours."

            Terry opened the door and stood there, thinking.  "I'll call tomorrow to tell you.  It really depends on my brother, since we go together.  But I can probably talk him into it."

            "You don't have to talk him into it if he doesn't want to go."  Simon moved over towards Terry, aiming to deal with the door for him.

            "He doesn't like to get up early, so I have to talk him into church anyways. I don't mind, really."  Terry stepped out, Simon grabbing the edge of the door.  "So I'll call tomorrow with an answer.  Later."  Terry put on his helmet and headed for his bike.

            Simon waved, wishing he had some more time with the teen. 

            Eric watched Terry drive off.  "I'm not sure I want you riding that with him.  Motorcycles are dangerous."

            "He's never gotten a ticket or been in an accident."  Simon closed the door and stood there, staring at the wood a few minutes.  "Dad?"  He turned to face his father.

            "Yes Simon?"

            Simon leaned against the doorframe.  "Do you think something's wrong with me?"

            Eric nodded towards his office and went in.

            Simon sighed and went in after him.

            Eric closed the door and moved to sit behind his desk.  "We all know something's different about you.  You're not really yourself.  You seemed happier with Dax here, and we all wonder why."

            Simon collapsed in a chair and rested his forehead against a hand.  "Terry's really helping me through a tough time at school, that's all."

            "Is it something we can help with?  Or that I can help with?"

            Simon shook his head a bit.  "No."  Simon went quiet for a few minutes.  "Can you just reassure everyone I'm going to be fine?  Terry's helping me, and all of you pressuring me to find out what it is isn't helping."

            "Okay.  I can do that.  But you do know we're here for you, right?"

            Simon closed his eyes.  _I don't know.  If you knew what I was exploring, you might condemn me._  Nonetheless, Simon nodded slightly.  

            "Alright."  Eric tilted his head down to look at Simon's face.  "You look kind of tired."

            "I feel it."  Simon stood up.  "Goodnight, dad."  

            "Night."  

            Simon walked out, arms swinging at his sides.  Annie came in, following Simon with her eyes.  "So do you know?"

            "He won't tell me.  But he said that it's something Dax's helping him with and to reassure the family that he's going to be fine and to stop pressuring him."

            "You didn't tell him you would, did you?" 

            Eric leaned away a bit.  "Yeah, I kind of did.  It's what he needs, I think."

            "So we just let him do whatever until he comes to us?  What if he's turning out like Mary?"

            "I don't think that's it."  Eric put a finger to his chin and tapped it.  "It's something else, something far more personal."  He looked at his wife.  "And to be honest, I think Dax will tell us if it's something really bad.  He seems like a good kid."

            "Great, so we just let our teenage son listen to his peers for advice?"

            "I think it's all we can do.  He's refusing to talk to any of us."

            Annie let out a frustrated sigh and left, shaking her head.

            Eric slowly sat back into his chair, thinking everything over.

~*()*~

            Simon opened up the book Terry had given him.  He was nearly done with it, and thus far no one had noticed it, or had noticed it and neglected to ask about it, which he was thankful for.  After tonight, though, and the feelings that welled up when Lucy hugged Terry, as well as the loneliness after he left, Simon needed reassurance that he wasn't making a mistake.  The book had helped him identify his feelings, and some of the interpretations of the Bible had comforted him.  But he had yet to come across a definitive reassurance that God was okay with this.  He also had yet to reach the chapter regarding family and homosexuality, mainly due to the fact that he skipped over that chapter.  Tonight, though, he opened to that chapter and began reading.  He never noticed how the time passed as he read, and by midnight, he had fallen asleep, his head using the book as a pillow.

~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~

Translations: Hey, it's your author again.  As Japanese is a dominant part of Terry and Jordon's life, there will be phrases and even entire sentences where it's romanji.  Translations will always be at the bottom of chapter (hey, if it were TV, you might not even GET a translation…going for quasi-realism from the viewer's POV).    
  


Itadakimasu: While there is no LITERAL translation, one translation is "thank you for this food, now we're eating."  


	5. Mornings

God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

By Cypher

Chapter Five: Mornings

            Simon awoke with a start, flailing his limbs and getting tangled in his bed sheets.  Ever since he had begun questioning himself and who he was, nightmares had periodically haunted him.  The nightmares usually consisted of his family's reaction to telling them the truth, the community's reaction when they realized he wasn't exactly who they thought he was.  And Terry, Terry never appeared in his nightmares, never came to rescue or help him.  And that, Simon felt, was one of the worst parts of the nightmares.  

            His chest heaving, he sat up, untangled himself and started to calm down.  Glancing at the clock, he saw it was only 8:30 in the morning.  Not late enough for him, but he could always go to bed slightly early to compensate.  Remembering the book he was reading, he felt around the bed.  He couldn't find it, but when he looked over the edge of the bed, there it was on the floor.  He bent down and retrieved it, fearing what would happen if his family discovered it.

            Just as he had placed it on his mattress, someone knocked on the door.

            "Simon?"

            _Matt.  What's he doing up so early?  _Hiding the book under his covers, he rested against his wall.  "Yeah, come on in."

            Matt walked in and leaned against the wall by the door.  "Hey, you're up."

            Simon nodded.  "I just had a.... disturbing dream, that's all."  He shrugged.  "What's up?"

            "Dream, huh?  Wanna talk about it?"  Matt put his hands in his pockets.

            Simon shook his head, his right hand fiddling with a fold in his blanket.  "It's just a stupid dream.  What's up?"  
            Matt looked at Simon a moment, then nodded.  "Right, well, I've got an early day at work, but I'm kinda low on money, and I promised this girl we'd have lunch..."

            Simon rolled his eyes.  "So you wanted a loan from the Bank of Simon, huh?  I don't think I have much."  He reached over to the table by his bed and picked up his wallet.  "Just thirty."  He held it out.

            Matt took it and grinned.  "Thanks, man.  I'll pay you back tomorrow."  He began to head for the door.  "Oh, by the way."  He looked back at Simon.

            Simon placed his wallet back and tilted his head at his older brother.

            "Your friend called, Dax.  He said he'd make it tomorrow."

            _He called already?  Wow..._  "Great, thanks."

            "No prob.  See ya tonight.  Thanks again, man."  Matt closed his door and left.

            Simon leaned back and rested his chin on his hand.  "At least, I think it's great..."

~*()*~

            Saturday seemed to drag on for Simon, as both fear and anticipation crept into his mind about Sunday.  Terry was somewhat strange, and perhaps he would stand out to much.  What if he didn't feel comfortable in his father's church and left halfway through it?  It would be quite an embarrassment not only for him, but also for his father.  And what if other people recognized him, not just from school, but as a model.  Would they crowd him and fawn over him, as Lucy had done.  

            Contrary to what he had planned, Simon retired to bed early but failed to catch up on his sleep.  In fact he slept less, the anxiety keeping him up part of the night.  Church held a special place with him, as did God.  He had decided a long time ago that anyone he fell in love with would have to be religious, believe in God, Christ, the whole deal.  If Terry walked out of his father's church, it would mean that rejected his father's views on things, maybe even reject his denomination?  

            When Simon finally got to sleep, it seemed like only minutes had passed before his alarm was going off.  He went through the first half of the morning in a daze, not quite awake.  As he entered the car for going to the church, though, he found himself waking up very quickly.  Terry might be at the church already, wondering where he was.  He practically bounded out of the car before the engine was off when they arrived.

            In spite of how hard he searched, he couldn't find Terry anywhere.  He looked until Lucy came and brought him in.  As the choir was singing, and they were standing and joining in, he looked around, trying to find Terry's face among the crowds.  Alas, as they all sat, he still couldn't find him.  _Maybe he changed his mind._  Sighing, he slouched a bit and stared at his hands, half listening to his father's sermon.

~*()*~

            "Simon?"

            Simon blinked.  He hadn't just heard Terry's voice, had he?  He hadn't seen him earlier, so it couldn't have been him.  

            A body sat down next to him.  Slowly, Simon looked up and found Terry's smiling face.  "Terry?  Did," he looked at the main doors, where people were filing out.  "Did you just get here?"

            "Nope.  We arrived right before they closed the doors.  Just sat against the wall in the back."

            Simon furrowed his brow.  Terry hadn't been a minute late for all the time he had known him.  "You were late?  You're never late."

            "Blame my brother.  He just can't wake up sometimes."  Terry stood.  "I'm going to go thank your dad for inviting us, then how about we go grab some coffee."

            Simon nodded and stood up quickly, nearly slamming his head into Terry's nose.  "I'd like that.  Uh...where should I meet you?"

            "My car's parked outside.  I'll stand by it so you can find it more easily."

            "Alright, I'm just going to go tell mom."  Simon slid past Terry, his ears turning a brighter shade of pink as his body rubbed up against Terry's.  

            As Simon left, Terry headed for the main doors.  He had to wait a few minutes, but eventually he was able to see no one else waiting to talk to the reverend.  "Morning, Eric."

            "Dax."  He held out his hand, which Terry shook.  "I thought I saw you get in before we started."

            Terry laughed a bit and put a hand behind his head.  "Yeah, well, my brother is a slug early in the morning.  Any who, we wanted to tell you that we were enthralled by your sermon."

            "Thank you."  Eric looked behind Terry.  "Where IS your brother?"

            Terry blinked and turned around.  His shoulders drooped.  "Idiot."  He held his hand out.  "Can I borrow your bible a moment?"

            "Sure."  Eric handed it to him.  "What for?"

            "Divine Punishment."  

            Eric frowned.  _Divine Punishment?_  

            Terry walked behind a pew, where he and his brother had sat.  A thunk and yell later, Terry was back in front of Eric, holding out the now slightly dented bible in one hand and his brother's arm in the other.  "Thank you."

            "Damn it, it was a nice dream too."  Jordon kept rubbing the top of his head and yawned.  

            Terry's let out a slow breath.  "Forgive my brother.  If it's any consolation, he does it at our church a lot.  He's just not a morning person."

            "Ah, well, I hope you enjoyed what bit of my sermon you did hear."

            "You had a serm-OW!"  Jordon bit his lip and began favoring his left leg.  

            Terry smiled at Eric.  "We'll be going now, before he says something he regrets."  Terry dug his fingers into Jordon's arm and dragged him down the stairs.

            "Ow! Damn it! Slow down!  You're so mean!"    
            Eric shook his head.  _Maybe I shouldn't let Simon hang out with those two.  They seem a bit...off._

"Dad?"  

            Eric turned away from the exit and faced his son.  "Simon.  What's up?"

            "Terry invited me out for coffee.  I know I don't drink coffee, but it would be kinda nice to hang with him.  I've got most of my homework done."

            Eric blinked.  "Your mother said yes?"

            Simon shrugged.  "She was too busy with the twins and couldn't talk with me, and Terry's outside waiting, so..."

            Eric sighed.  "Alright.  But be back early afternoon, in case your mother wants you to do something."

            "Alright, thanks dad."  Simon patted Eric's shoulder and headed outside.

~*()*~

            Terry laughed and nodded, patting Simon's arm.  "No, really, it's true.  He woke up in the middle of the sermon and had to explain to the minister why he yelled out math equations."

            Simon laughed as well, enjoying the feel of Terry's hand on his arm.  "I can't believe it.  That hasn't even happened to my dad."

            "Your dad doesn't have my brother as a parishioner."

            Jordon grumbled and sunk lower in his seat.  "Oh shut up.  I don't make fun of your church habits."

            "That's because I don't have any."  Terry sipped his mocha.  "Plus, you've got your mother to keep your family in line.  I mean, Jordon may sleep, but my mom would snore."

            Jordon chuckled.  "How true, how true."

            Simon raised an eyebrow, taking a drink from his soda.  "Your mother?"  
            Terry nodded.  "International reporter is what she's known for regionally.  To her family, though, she's the sloppiest, busiest, and most honest-"

            "Most blunt."  Jordon sat forward, picking up his second cup of coffee.

            "-woman in the world."  Terry finished, glancing at his brother.  

            "Wow.  I had no idea."  Simon looked at the tabletop a moment.  "What is your family like, the whole family?"

            Terry blinked, then looked at Jordon.  "How much of the whole family do we know?"

            "Too much, by my standards."  Jordon wrinkled his nose.  

            Terry rolled his eyes.  "Well, there's my brother, smart but sleepy and obnoxious."  
            Jordon punched Terry's arm.  "Jerk."

            Terry took another drink of his mocha.  "Idiot.  Then there's mom, who's very...energetic, I guess."

            "Energetic nothing.  You slept for two days after her last visit."

            "I was also sick, so hush.  Then there's dad, who's the complete opposite, quiet, reserved.  I don't think I've ever spoke more than...a dozen words with him in my whole life."

            "Your whole life?  You hate him that much?"  Simon's eyes widened.  

            "More like he hates me.  He likes Jordon more, since Jordon's scientifically oriented."  Terry sat back, looking at the ceiling.  "Is there anyone else, bro?"

            "Well, there's mom's sister.  Aunt...what's-her-face?"  Jordon snapped his fingers.  "Oh, I know this...um..."

            Terry sighed.  "We can never remember her name."

            "Why?  You see her so little?"  Simon took another drink from his soda.

            "We haven't seen her ever."

            Simon had to control himself from spitting the drink in Jordon's face.  Instead, he coughed.  "Ever?"

            "Well, she's older than mom.  She sends us cards and money on the important dates, but we've never actually MET her."  Terry patted Simon's back.  "You okay?"

            "It's just, geeze, ever?  I've met all my relatives.  Even the ones I don't like."

            "Well, she IS in Africa, so it's not like it's easy to fly out."  Jordon finished his cup and looked around.  "Where's a waitress when you need one."

            Terry stomped on Jordon's foot.  "Two's your limit, you know that."

            "Itai!"  Jordon closed his eyes and grit his teeth.  "Teme..."

            "Aniki, we have company.  Don't use that language in public."

            "Urusai."  Jordon crossed his arms and looked away.

            Simon looked between the two.  "Should...I go?"

            "He's just throwing a tantrum.  You get used to it."

            "What language was that?"

            "Japanese.  He slips into it a lot, even when he's talking with complete strangers.  It's a fault of living there for so long and talking on the phone with-OW!"  Terry leaned forward and rubbed his shin.  "What was that for?"

            "You don't have to tell the whole world.  Besides, that was retribution."

            "You are so going down when we get home."

            "Bring it on."

            Simon leaned back, drinking quietly.  

            Terry caught his look and grinned.  "We love each other, we just have a different way of showing it than you and your family do."

            "You sure?  I mean, if you're having a fight, I can walk home."

            "Nonsense."  Terry gave Jordon a warning glance.  "He'll behave now, I promise."

            "Me?  You were just as bad-"

            Terry leveled a glare at his brother, who promptly shut up.  "Thank you."  His smiling face came back.  "So, you finished that book, yet?"

            "Almost, actually.  I've just got to finish reading one or two chapters."  Simon felt a little uncomfortable discussing his problems in such a public place, but as long as Terry didn't get specific, he assumed it would be okay.  "If you need it back though..."

            "Nonsense.  Read it, reread it.  We can discuss it this Friday.  I'll take you out to dinner again."

            "Well-"

            "You're taking him out?"  Jordon looked at Simon and shook his head.  "No, refuse to go unless he cooks for you.  Really cook.  He's actually pretty good."

            "Jordon-"

            Simon decided to head this argument off. "Actually, I'm an okay cook too."  He faced Terry.  "Maybe...you could show me some things, and we could cook together before we talk?  And I would feel more comfortable if we talked in a private place."  He looked around and shifted his feet.  "I...I don't think I'm ready for anyone else to find out yet."

            Terry sighed and nodded, patting Simon's hand reassuringly.  "I'll pick you up around four.  That'll give us plenty of time to shop and cook."  Terry looked at Jordon.  "Any reason you suggested this?"

            "He should know how good your cooking is.  Besides, it'd be nice to have leftovers that aren't fast food for once."

            Terry rolled his eyes.  "Idiot."

            "Jerk."  Jordon looked at his watch.  "We should get going.  Simon, you need to be home early afternoon?  It's nearly three."

            Simon slumped.  "Oh yeah."  He reached for his wallet.

            Terry tossed a twenty on the table.  "I've got it covered.  Let's go."  He stood up and waited for Simon.  "Who's driving, bro?"

            "I will.  We need to stop at the bookstore afterward."

            "Oh yeah, dad's birthday."  The three of them headed for Jordon's car.  "So next Friday, four pm Simon."

            "Alright."  He hesitated.  _Go for it._  "Should I pack an overnight bag?"

            Jordon nearly tripped at the question.

            Terry simply paused in his walking.  "Well, if you can convince your parents and feel comfortable about it, sure.  I don't see any problem with it."  He stood by the car and looked at Jordon.  "Unlock it, bro.  And pick up your jaw from the ground.  We've had plenty of people stay over in the guest room."

            "Anata wa dare yori mo kare ni kyoumi ga arushi; watashi wa nani ga okoru koto dakeatte kara, shinpai suru."  Jordon opened the driver's door and unlocked the others.

            Terry got into the passenger side.  "Houki de aishou o inashita otoko ni itte... sono ichigi ga wasuremasen?"

            "Urusai, bakayaro."  Jordon glanced back.  "You in and set?"

            Simon nodded.  "Um..."  He looked at both brothers as he buckled his seatbelt.  _I thought our fights were messy._

            "Don't mind us.  Jordon's just being an idiot.  That's why it's his pet name."  Terry shrugged.

            "And Terry's being a jerk to me, as usual.  That's how he got his pet name."  Jordon smirked and started the car.  "Where's your house?"

            "I'll guide you.  I've been there a couple times.  If you had come for the dinner like I asked, you'd know where it was too."

            Jordon rolled his eyes.  "That again.  You knew I might not make it.  My nights are busy."

            "And I'm gonna keep bugging you until they're busy with social activities.  Honestly, all work and no play-"

            Simon ahemed, uncomfortable again.

            Terry leaned back and looked over his shoulder.  "Sorry.  We fight.  That's just how we are.  We still love each other.  I guess it's a bit more...peaceful at your house?"

            Simon nodded.  "Yeah, a lot more."  _At least, compared to these two._  "You just fight in front of anybody?"

            "Normally only in front of friends or family.  There was one time we erupted into all-out fighting at a Christmas party."

            Simon tilted his head.  "Why?  I mean, it's Christmas."

            Terry nodded to Jordon.  "He had gotten a bit too much to drink."

            "And I think I know when I've had too much.  You don't need to monitor me."

            "Jordon, you were teasing all the female elves, and not in a good way."

            Jordon ducked down a bit as his ears turned red.  "So?  Didn't mean I had too much to drink."

            "And then you started to do a strip tease in front of Mrs. Claus."

            Jordon groaned.  "Oh God, I don't even REMEMBER that."

            "Hence, he had had to much, and I cut him off.  He just didn't like that, we started arguing, and since his judgment was impaired-"

            "Down went the Christmas tree.  I remember THAT much."

            "The trunk fell on your head.  I should hope you remember it."  Terry smiled at Simon.  "We made up, but we just fight a lot."  Terry pointed out a direction to Jordon, then looked back at Simon.  "What about you and Matt?  Don't you two ever fight as a form of affection?"

            Simon shook his head.  "No.  Not that I can think of.  All our fights have been genuine fights."

            "Genuine fights.  When was the last time we had a genuine fight?"  Jordon pulled up in front of the Camden household and looked at Terry.

            Terry put a hand to his chin and thought.  "Hmm...I think it was over something stupid.  I can't remember.  It must've been years and years ago."

            "Wow.  But you fight all the time now."  Simon unbuckled himself and leaned forward, between the seats. 

            "Yeah, but it's all in fun, like I said.  Life's too short to be angry with someone you love for very long.  So after we vocalize our upset, we let it go."  Terry smiled and ran a hand through Simon's hair.  "Keep it in mind next time your family has a fight, kay?  It'll help, believe me."

            Simon blushed a bit.  "Alright.  Um...thanks for the coffee...and everything."

            "See ya around school.  And remember, next Friday."  

            Simon nodded and got out.  Closing the door, he watched the car drive away, remembering the feel of Terry's fingers through his hair.  _It...felt nice.  I mean, if anyone else did it, I'd be annoyed, but from him..._  Sighing, he headed for the door.

~*()*~

            "He seems nice enough."  Jordon parked the car in front of a Barnes and Noble.  "You really like him, don't you."  He looked over at Terry.  "More than the others."

            Terry stared at the top of the car and shook his head.  "I guess I should be grateful you waited until he was gone before having this talk."

            "I'm in charge of you in many respects.  And starting next year, I won't be here to watch over you."

            "One, I'm in charge of myself.  Two, yes, we've been over your leaving, and no, Simon is not a replacement for you.  In case you didn't notice, he's younger."

            "But his family has an older brother."

            Terry snorted.  "He can't replace you.  Hell, he's twice as bad as you.  I couldn't live with that.  Besides, we'll keep in touch."

            Jordon nodded.  "Even so, you really like Simon, don't you?  I don't want you doing something...inappropriate...before you get old enough.  And don't bring up the hooker thing, please.  That wasn't my choice and you know it."

            Terry sighed and relaxed in his seat.  "Alright.  And yes, I like Simon.  I like him a lot.  And...it might even be love."

            "I thought so.  You don't show that much affection around most friends, even your previous romances."  Jordon unbuckled his seatbelt and faced his younger brother.  "Are you being objective in helping him explore himself?"

            Terry nodded.  "I wouldn't compromise that.  It would be wrong, sinful even."

            "Be sure you keep that in mind."  Jordon placed a hand on Terry's shoulder.  "A lot's gonna change in the next couple years.  I just want to make sure he's a stabilizing factor rather than something that you'll regret.  I'm looking out for your well being."

            "I know, I know."  Terry looked at the floor.  "I'm pretty sure Simon feels the same way; but his family, they're going to be hard to deal with.  And I haven't even talked to him about his extended family."  Terry sat up and stretched his arms.  "But we'll deal with that when it comes.  Until then, I'm just helping him explore himself.  I promise."

            "Alright.  And he's staying in the guest room next week, and you stay in yours.  I'm going to check when I get home from the observatory."

            "Yes, mom."  Terry opened the door and got out.

            "Why you!  Get back here!"  Jordon got out and locked the door.  "What have I told you about calling me that!"

            Terry laughed and hurried towards the bookstore, Jordon hot on his heels.

~*()*~

            "Hey Simon.  Have a nice time with the brothers?"

            Simon nodded at his father and headed upstairs to change.  While he may love church, the clothes were still slightly uncomfortable.  Besides, he wanted to finish the book and begin rereading other sections.  

            Eric shook his head and looked over at Annie.  "He seems better, but there's still something...off."

            "I know.  And they're definatly involved somehow.  I just can't put my finger on what."  Annie headed for the kitchen.  "We'll figure it out, we always do."

            Eric shook his head. 

            Upstairs, Simon had just finished changing into some jeans and a gray shirt when someone knocked on his door.  Making sure his hair was okay, he called to the door. "Come in."

            Lucy came in and shut the door.  "So, did you have a nice time with Dax?"

            Simon blinked and faced his sister.  "Yeah, but you didn't come up."

            Lucy raised an eyebrow.  "Excuse me?"

            "That's what you wanted to ask, right?  If you came up?"  Simon sat on his bed and pulled out his guitar.  

            "You don't know that."  Lucy tapped her foot.  "Okay, yeah, I was thinking it.  But I came because I borrowed a book from you."  She held up the second book Terry had loaned Simon.  "I just saw it lying around and thought it might be interesting."  She set it on the desk.  

            Simon swallowed and looked at his guitar strings.  "Did...did you find anything else?  Interesting, I mean."

            Lucy shook her head.  "Nope, but that book's pretty good.  I mean, dad's never mentioned all those angels."

            "Yeah, it is kinda cool."

            "Well, thanks anyways."  Lucy left, not completely understanding Simon's nervousness.

            Simon, on the other hand, quickly picked up the book Lucy had returned and placed it in his school bag.  He didn't remember leaving it out, but he was grateful that she hadn't discovered the other one; otherwise there'd be hell to pay, literally.  _I've got to be more careful.  A lot more careful._

~*()*~

~*()*~

~*()*~

Itai: Ow, Ouch

Teme: Damn, Damn you, Damn it

Aniki: Older brother

Urusai: Shut up  
Bakayaro: Jerk

**Translation of Jordon and Terry's brief conversation:**

Jordon: You weren't interested in any of them as much as you are in him; I'm just worried about what MIGHT happen.

Terry: He says to the guy who had to ward off a prostitute with a broom...or have you forgotten THAT incident?


	6. Decision

God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

By Cypher

Chapter 6: Decision

          "He's going to what?"  Matt shook his head.  "I couldn't have heard you right.  He's sleeping over at his house tonight?"

          Robbie shrugged and took a swig from his water bottle.  "Hey, I just heard it ten minutes ago.  I guess he waited until the last minute to ask."

          "Considering how he's been acting, I guess that makes sense."  Matt stood up.  "I'm going to go talk to him.  I don't think it's wise for him to go."

          "You better hurry.  I think I heard a car drive up a few minutes ago."

          "Thanks, man."  Matt left his room and headed for Simon's.

          Robbie sighed and drank from his water again.  _Simon probably knows what he's doing.  And Dax seems decent enough._  

          Lucy, coming up from the downstairs, grabbed Matt's arm as he prepared to go down.  "Where you running to?"

          "To talk to Simon.  He's not in his room."

          "You just missed him."  Lucy faced Matt and crossed her arms.  "What's wrong?  Need money again?"

          "No."  Matt leaned against the banister.  "I actually wanted to talk him out of going to Dax's.  I don't trust that guy.  He's hiding something."

          "You get that too?"  Lucy shrugged.  "I figure it's just his family or something.  Look, Dax is a pretty decent guy.  I doubt he'd do anything to hurt Simon."

          "Yeah, but we don't know enough about him to know that for sure.  He could drink or smoke or something worse."  Matt turned to continue down.  
          "Now what are you doing?"  Lucy took a step down.

          "I'm gonna see if Dad's going to follow them."

          "He's at the church.  Mom saw Simon off."

          Matt snapped his fingers.  "Well...I'll just follow them just in case."

          "No you won't."  Annie came up the stairs, a full laundry basket in her hands.  "Simon explained they were doing some project for school and it would be too dangerous to drive that late.  And besides," She set the basket down.  "I need you to watch the house.  Your father and I are going out."

          Matt put a hand in his pocket.  "Don't you think Simon's safety is a bit more important than going out?"

          Lucy quietly backed away and headed for her room, deciding that perhaps she shouldn't be around for the minor argument.

          "For your information, it was Dax's idea.  He suggested a lovely restaurant and that we take the night off." She lifted the basket.  "Besides, your father and I will drive by his house to and from dinner.  If there's something going on, we'll spot it."  Annie headed upstairs and towards the linen closet.

          Matt sighed and tapped his fists together.  "Well, I guess that'll work."  He took a step down the stairs.

          "Not so fast, young man.  Help me with the laundry."

          Matt winced.  _Not fast enough._  Turning around, he went upstairs to help his mother.

~*()*~

          "Now, what should we cook?"  Terry picked up an apple and examined it.  

          Simon shrugged and looked around the grocery store.  "I mean, whatever you want, I guess."

          Terry rolled his eyes.  "Simon, we're doing this together, remember?  You offered to help.  So are we going American?  Japanese?  Chinese?  Italian?  Give me an idea so we can get the ingredients."

          Simon leaned on the edge of the shopping cart.  "You can cook all of those?"

          "Cooking's a major requirement for Japanese students, boys and girls.  I just continued learning after I passed."  He put the apple down and looked at Simon, smiling.  "So, what would you like to cook?"

          Simon felt some blood rush to his cheeks.  _That's a nice smile.  I wish he wouldn't make me blush in public, though._  "Uh..."  He stood up and looked around.  "How about, um..."  Simon sighed.  "I don't know.  I don't know how to cook that much."

          Terry patted Simon's back.  "How about Cornish Game Hens with a salad and pie for dessert.  Should take...three hours, tops.  Plenty of time.  Come on."  Terry paused a moment.  "Um, where's the meat section?"

          Simon pushed the cart and led the way.  "You've never been?  But you said you cook a lot."

          "Yeah, but we order our food online."

          "You're kidding!"  Simon smiled a bit.  "My mom would love to get into that service.  Does it cost a lot more than actual shopping?"

          Terry eyed the items as they walked.  "Not really.  Depends how much you spend.  Over a hundred they don't charge for delivery.  The catch is it usually takes two days to deliver."

          "Man, you've got to tell my mom about that."

          Terry laughed lightly.  "Yeah, yeah."

~*()*~

          "Hey!  Wait up!"

          Lucy paused and looked around.  She had left for the library shortly after the stairway chat with Matt.  It took her a few minutes, but she finally found the voice.  It was a man with dark brown hair and hazel eyes.  He was walking towards her, one hand holding a motorcycle helmet, the other resting on a book bag.  "Do I know you?"

          "Kinda."  He smiled and caught up with her.

          Lucy was struck by that smile, how familiar it was.  She looked the lanky man over, but couldn't place a name with whom it was.  "I'm sorry...if we've ever met-"

          "Well, not formally."  He extended his hand.  "I'm Jordon.  Terry's older brother."

          Lucy could of hit herself.  The smiles were the same.  No wonder he seemed familiar.  "Of course.  I think I saw you at my dad's church."  She shook his hand.  "I thought your name was Bruce though."

          Jordon shook his head.  "I don't like that name very much, so I go by Jordon."

          "And your brother goes by his middle name.  So do your parents go by their first name?  Or do they use something else?"

          Jordon laughed.  "Mom does."  He hefted his bag to keep it from slipping.  "I wanted to meet at least ONE Camden sibling.  Terry's been pounding on me to do that."

          Lucy tilted her head and pulled her hand back, rebalancing the books in her arms.  "Now, you call him Terry, and Simon calls him Terry.  Why do we have to call him Dax?"

          Jordon looked the sky a moment.  "Give me a moment, it's not exactly easy to explain to someone who never visited Japan."  

          Lucy leaned back and raised an eyebrow.  "Oh?"

          Jordon tilted his head down to look at her again.  "Okay, basically, there are different honorifics you attribute to a person depending on how familiar you are with them.  Terry kinda goes by that.  The general population calls him Dax, but his really close friends and family can call him Terry."

          Lucy thought about it for a moment.  "Okay, that makes sense."  She smiled and stepped up next to Jordon.  "So, how can I get Dax to let me call him Terry?"

          Jordon coughed and stepped back a bit.  "Well, I suppose if you became best friends like him and Simon."  _Though technically he wants to be more than friends, but you don't need to know that._  

          "What if I dated him?"

          "Well, yeah, of course.  By default you'd get to call him Terry."

          Lucy nodded, still smiling.  "So how can I ask him out in a way he won't refuse?"

          Jordon blinked at her a moment before bursting out laughing.  

          Lucy stepped back, not sure if she should take the action as an insult or not.  "Excuse me."

          "Whew, that's a good one."  Jordon cleared his throat a couple more times.  "Heh, ask him out."

          Lucy stared at him.  "Yeah.  He's handsome and smart and what girl wouldn't want to ask him out?"

          "Oh, I can think of a few.  So is this a 'use the brother to get to the guy' sorta thing?"

          "What?"  Lucy blinked and thought a moment.  _He's good.  Saw right through me._  "Okay, maybe it is a little.  Did it work?"

          "No."  Jordon started walking to the library.  "I just have to drop off some books, but walk with me and I'll explain something."

          Lucy watched him, then followed.  "Okay, I'm listening."

          Jordon looked at his books.  "Not only is my brother very handsome and very smart, he's very busy.  The idea of dating isn't even in his mind.  He would be getting more than he was giving, and that wouldn't be fair to whoever was dating him."  Pulling out some books, he held open the book deposit.  "There's another reason that's a little more personal, and I'll leave it to him to tell you if he wants to."  Dropping the books, he faced Lucy.  "Terry would love to be your friend, but I doubt he could ever be more than that for you or any girl, no matter how you feel."

          Lucy sighed.  "Alright.  I'm sorry I bothered you about it."

          "Not at all.  You're not the first one I've had to talk to about why Terry can't date."  He patted her shoulder.  "Now, if you excuse me, I have to get to my university's observatory by sundown.  Talk to you later!"  Jordon walked off, putting his helmet on.

          "Yeah, see ya."  Lucy walked into the library.  _Brothers aren't always right, though.  I haven't given up yet._

~*()*~

          "Are you sure these will fill us up?"  Simon held up one of the hens.  "They're so...small."

          Terry nodded.  "Sure will.  Besides, we'll have pie and salad too."  Terry continued to unpack the grocery bags.  "So, which do you want to do?  Pie, salad, or hen?"

          Simon opened the refrigerator door to put the hens away, and stared inside a moment.  Looking away, he paused, then looked back in it again.  "Um, Terry?  Why is there a snake sleeping in your refrigerator?

          Terry blinked.  "Huh?"  He looked in the fridge.  "So THAT'S where I put the body."  Terry went over to the fridge and picked up the snake's body.  "It's dead, don't worry.  Doesn't have a head or a spine."  Terry opened the freezer and stuck the reptile remains in there.  Dusting off his hands, he faced Simon.  "Sorry bout that."

          Simon just stared into Terry's golden eyes.  "What's a snake's body doing in your kitchen?"

          "Well, I continue to experiment with cooking.  Snake is a delicacy in some parts of the world, the U.S. included."

          Simon set the hens in the fridge.  "Okay."

          Terry patted his shoulder.  "Sorry.  Guess I should of mentioned that I sometimes cook strange things."

          Simon nodded and thought about it a moment.  "But...snake?"

          Terry patted Simon's back and turned back to the bags.  "It's actually pretty tasty.  Come on, I'll show you the steps for making Cornish Gang Hen and then we can make the salad and pie."  
          Simon glanced at the freezer a moment, and then faced Terry.  "Are there any other surprises I should know about?"

~*()*~

          "So what do you think of him?"  Ruthie rested her head on her arms and faced Robbie.

          "What do I think of who?"  Robbie set his magazine down and faced the youngest Camden.

          "You know who.  Dax."

          "Ah, Dax."  Robbie shrugged.  "What do you think of him?"

          "I think he's interesting.  Mysterious, too."

          "Mysterious?  Why's that?"  Robbie sat up a bit.

          "Well, I'm not sure what, but he's hiding something, maybe a lot of things, from us."

          "So you think Simon shouldn't hang out with him?"

          "I think Simon is one of the things he's hiding."  Ruthie looked at the ceiling a moment.  "Simon's been acting weird for a while, and when Dax showed up...I'm not sure what happened."

          "You don't buy that Dax is just helping Simon through school?"

          "He could be, but somehow I doubt it.  I mean, Simon doesn't take any AP courses."

          Robbie nodded.  "I think everyone realized that.  And tutoring Simon?  That's suspicious.  Simon's great at his classes."  Robbie fully sat up and leaned forward.  "But Simon's also a good judge of character.  He'd keep away from Dax if he knew it meant trouble."

          "Maybe.  Simon might end up like Mary, though, if he's not careful."

          "That's what we're all afraid of, I think."  Robbie thought for a moment.  "He seems like a decent guy, and I don't think whatever he's hiding is something dangerous to either us or Simon.  I just wish I knew what it was."

          "We all do."  Ruthie nodded.

~*()*~

          "You sure it was wise to let Simon stay over at Dax's?"  Eric straightened his tie.  "I mean, I know we're driving by, but the way he and his brother act…plus Simon's mood as of late."

          Annie poked her head out of the bathroom.  "It's fine."  She went back in and worked on her earrings.  "We can't keep him from spending time with friends."

          "Why not?"  Eric sat on the edge of the bed and put on his shoes.  "We could have said no to the sleepover."

          "Under what pretense?"  Annie came out and sat down next to Eric.  "Besides, Simon always seems better after spending some time with Dax.  Maybe after staying over a night he'll feel good enough to tell us what's going on."

          "Hmm, that might work.  Or we could just question him until he cracks.  Works for Matt."

          "No."  Annie picked up her purse.  "Besides, when was the last time we ate out at a really nice restaurant?  Dax says it's a great place, and it's not too expensive.  It's even near his house so we can just check in when we drive by.  Now, let's go and let's enjoy ourselves. Okay?"

          Eric nodded.  "Fine, I'll be down in a moment."  He grunted and pushed his foot into his shoe.  

          "Okay."  Annie headed out, nodding to Matt on her way.

          Matt knocked on the bedroom door.  "Mind if I come in?"

          "No, actually," Eric glanced into the hallway, "could you do me a favor and call Dax's sometime after dinner?  I just want to make sure Simon's okay."

          Matt sat next to his father and nodded, looking out the door as well.  "No problem.  I was planning on it, anyways."

          "Good man."  Eric picked up his evening jacket and thought for a few minutes.  "Do you think Simon's going to be okay?"

          "I don't know.  For once he hasn't gone to me for help or advice.  Or even Robbie or Lucy, or Ruthie for that matter."  He ran a hand through his hair.  "He's got to know we worry about him, but every time we try and get him to open up-"

          "I know.  It's like he's scared of us or something.  What could be so bad that he can't tell his own family?" 

          "Not smoking or drinking.  We'd pick up on that."

          Eric leaned forward and rested his chin against his hands.  "Drugs?"

          "No, that can't be it.  Grades are doing great and he's still got friends."  Matt crossed his arms and looked at the floor.  "Think it might be a girl?"

          "He's not like this when it's a girl."

          "But what if it's a girl he got pregnant."  

          Eric sat up and looked over at Matt.  "Someone Dax knows."

          "And Dax is helping them hide it."  Matt looked at his father.  "What else could it be?"

          Eric thought for a moment, then waved his hand.  "No, no, Simon wouldn't be able to hide something like that from Ruthie.  Or the rest of us, I bet.  Besides, we've raised him better than that."

          "Maybe."  Matt looked at the bed.

          "Yeah, maybe."  Eric sighed.  

          Annie walked into the room.  "Hey Eric, dinner.  Come on."  
          Eric stood and smiled slightly.  "Right, dinner.  I'll be right down."

          "Now, Eric."  Annie left.

          Eric shrugged at Matt and followed his wife.  Exiting the room, he mouthed to Matt 'call.'  

          As he left, Matt sat forward.  _If Simon did get a girl pregnant, I'll find out tonight, somehow._

~*()*~

          "She was pregnant?"  Terry munched on a leaf of lettuce.  "You're pulling my leg.  He ACTUALLY brought home a pregnant girl?"

          Simon nodded.  "For half the night we wondered if it was Matt's kid or not."

          "Oh dear lord."  Terry chuckled.  "That is something."

          "Alright, your turn.  Something embarrassingly funny about your brother."

          Terry thought a moment, tapping his fork on his plate.  "Okay, this is a good one I tease him about all the time."

          Simon leaned forward in his seat.  "Yeah?"

          "Well, with all his AP classes and his brains, colleges were sending my brother offers left and right.  Some offered full scholarships, others actually tried to bribe him."

          Simon waited while Terry took a drink of water.  "And?"

          "Well, this one very prestigious college really wanted him, so they decided to try a different kind of bribe.  One night I heard a thump from my brother's room, and, thinking it was a burglar, I grabbed a broom and headed for his room."

          "A broom?"  

          "You'd be surprised how much damage it could do.  Anyways, I walk into his room, ready to bash the burglar's brains in, and I find this girl on top of him in his bed."

          "No way!"  
          "I just stood there for three minutes thinking 'Jordon?  The shy introvert is having sex?'  Well, after I snapped outta it and whacked her enough times with the broom to scare her off, I finally talked to my brother."  Terry waved his hand.  "He was in the biggest daze I'd ever seen him in.  And all I could get out of him was 'Stanford.'"

          Simon laughed and leaned back in his chair.  "Oh geeze, Stanford sent her?"

          "They didn't openly admit it, but I barricaded his window for the next few weeks just in case any other colleges got similar ideas.  To this day I tease him about it.  Drives him nuts."

          Simon kept laughing.  "That's a good one!  I don't think I could top that."

          "Hooker through the window.  I've yet to hear any college top that."  Terry ate a bit more.  A ringing caught his ear after a moment.  "Ah, dinner's ready.  Good timing."  He stood up.  "Wanna watch a movie while we eat?"

          "Eh, I don't mind eating at the table."  Simon still chuckled every few moments.  "My parents would kill Matt if something like that happened."

          "I'd prefer that to what my mom did."  Terry placed his plate in the sink.

          "I'm afraid to ask, but go ahead and tell me.  What'd she do?"

          Terry turned off the timer and oven, and grabbed a hot pad.  He took on a falsetto.  "Why, Terry dear, why didn't you let her do her work?  I mean, we both know Jordon needs some sex to loosen him up."

          Simon leaned against the wall and shook his head.  "I can't believe your mom said that."

          "Want me to call her and tell you herself?"  Terry pulled out the pan with the tiny birds in it and set it on a hot plate.  "I swear, she has no idea what I do to keep him in line."

          "Why bother?  I mean, isn't it his duty to watch over you?"  Simon grabbed two new plates and brought them over.  

          "We gave it a shot, and I ended up for amnesia for a week.  From then on, we decided I should keep him in line."

          Simon just shook his head again.  "And I thought my family was weird at times."

          "Wait till you actually MEET my mom."  Terry picked up some tongs.  "Alright.  Dinner's up."

~*()*~

          "Would you stop looking at me?"  Matt paced back and forth in the kitchen. 

          "If you put the phone down.  Why do you need to call?  If Simon wanted to come home he'd call us."  Ruthie broke apart her cookie and looked at Matt.  

          "But Simon might not want to come home when in actuality it's the right thing to do."  Matt tapped the phone against his hand.  

          "Fine, call Dax's house."  She munched on her cookie.  "What if the machine picks up?  I mean, they could be having a late dinner for all we know."

          "If the machine picks up, then I'll...I'll..."  Matt sighed and rested an arm on the counter.  "I'm just worried, okay?"

          "We just have to trust in Simon to make the right choices.  Dad and Mom trusted in you."

          Matt snorted.  "Not as much as you think.  Now head upstairs and check on the twins."

          "It's not like the conversation's going to be private.  We'll find out sooner or later what was said."

          "Yeah, well I'd rather it be later than sooner."  Matt waved to the stairs.

          Ruthie rolled her eyes.  "Fine."  Grabbing another cookie, she left for the twins' room.

          Looking around, Matt made sure he was alone before dialing the number Dax had left for Annie.  Pacing again, he listened to the rings.  _One...two...three...fo-_

          "Hi, moshi moshi?"

          "Hey, uh...do I have the right number?  I was trying to reach Dax-"

          "Matt, it's me.  I answer that way because Jordon and I have friends in Japan that call."

          Matt heard Dax talk to someone in the background.

          "Let me guess, you wanna chat with Simon, right?  He'll be on in a moment.  We had a little accident with the pie and it fell to pieces when he took it out of the pan.  Just a sec."

          Matt leaned against the counter and rested the phone against his shoulder.  _Seems innocent enough.  But still..."_

"Hey, Matt.  What's up?"

          Matt stood up again.  "Simon, hey.  Um...is everything okay over there?"

          "Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" 

          "Just...wondering."  Matt shrugged.  _Ask him.  Ask him._  "Did you get someone pregnant?  Is that what this is about?"

          "What?!  Where'd you get an idea like that!"

          "Well-" 

          "Just hold on."

          Matt blinked.

          "He thinks I got someone pregnant!  Can you believe that?"

          Matt frowned as he heard a noise in the background.  _Is Dax...laughing?_

          "Hey, Matt?  It's Dax."

          _Chuckling.  He was laughing.  _"I wasn't done with Simon."

          "Pregnant?  Sheesh.  And I thought my brother was neurotic.  Simon didn't get anyone pregnant."

          "I'd like to hear that from Simon."

          "I'm right here, Matt.  He put it on speaker.  How could you even think I'd do such a thing?  Don't you trust me?"  

          Matt winced.  He'd heard that line before.  "I do, we're just worried, and you're spending so much time with Dax.  Plus your mood."

          Dax cut in.  "And you don't trust me."  

          Matt could swear he heard Dax smirk.  "Well, actually, yeah."

          "You've had me over and you don't trust me.  What will it take?  An FBI background check?"

          "No...it's just...Simon, can we talk in private?"

          "When I get home tomorrow, Matt.  Honestly, pregnant?" 

          Matt heard the phone click, then the dial tone.  _He hung up on me?_  

          Ruthie hopped down the stairs.  "So how'd it go?"

          Matt hung up the phone.  "About as well as can be expected, I guess."  He swung his arms and looked around.  "So, how were the twins?"

          "Fine, of course.  Just relax.  Simon's going to be fine."

          "Wish I had your confidence."

~*()*~

          "You think he got a girl pregnant?  Our Simon?"  Annie shook her head.  "You're nuts, sometimes."

          "Just think about it.  It's not smoking, drinking, or drugs.  What else could explain his behavior?  And Dax is helping him hide that fact, I'm sure of it."  Eric gripped the steering wheel and glanced at his wife.  

          "Dax may be helping him hide something, but I don't think it's a pregnant girl."

          "Why not?"

          "Mother's intuition."  Annie looked out the window.  "There's his house."

          Eric slowed down and pulled over.  "Not a bad place."

          Annie leaned forward and looked into the living room window.  "I wonder how he grew those roses."

          "You can ask him next time you meet.  You see them?"

          Annie leaned to the side.  "No, but I see two shadows on the TV."  She sat back and crossed her arms.  "It just looks like two teenagers watching movies and hanging out."

          Eric released the wheel for a moment, then gripped it again.  "Alright, I give up."  Eric drove off.  "I just want to know what he's hiding and why, if it's just help, he can't come to us."

          "Well, maybe he feels this is something only his peers can help him with.  Kids today face more difficult problems than we do."

          "Maybe, but I don't think that's it."

          "Simon will tell us in time, I'm sure.  Besides, I rather like Dax."

          "Oh?  He suggests a fancy restaurant and you like him?"

          Annie shrugged.  "He seems like a nice guy, and it was nice to go out."

          "Well, yeah, that's true."

          "So, we'll just leave Simon be for now, right?"

          "Fine, fine."  _Still, I'm going to check in with Matt._

~*()*~

          Terry yawned and looked at his watch.  "Nearly eleven."  He stretched and looked over at Simon.  "You okay?"

          Simon looked at his hands and fiddled with them a bit.  "Well, I was thinking about what we talked about earlier."

          "Before or after your brother's call."

          Simon wrinkled his nose.  "After.  Geeze, pregnant?  What does he take me for?"

          "A younger brother that needs guidance."  Terry rubbed Simon's shoulder.  "So what about it?"

          "Well, after all that reading, and what we talked about..."  Simon sat up and faced Terry.  "Let's...give it a try.  It's the only way I'll know for sure."

          "You sure?  You don't have to do this because you feel indebted.  I want this to be what you truly want."

          Simon nodded.  "It is.  If I don't, I'll never know who I truly am."

          "Alright."  Terry took Simon's hand and squeezed it reassuringly.  "We'll give it a shot."

          "But we can't tell my family, or anybody.  Not yet."

          "I understand.  You're still not completely sure, and you don't want to face what could happen if it comes out in the open."

          Simon nodded.  "Y-yeah."  

          Terry smiled and hugged Simon, resting his head on the blond's shoulder.  "It'll be okay.  I won't be angry if this doesn't work out.  We'll just take it one step at a time."

          Simon hesitantly wrapped his arms around Terry.  _This feels so right...but what if I'm wrong?_

          Terry rubbed Simon's back and pulled away.  Looking over Simon's face, he ran a hand through the yellow locks; his golden brown eyes meeting with Simon's gray ones.  After a moment, Terry leaned forward and kissed Simon. 

          Simon, at first, wasn't sure how to respond.  Eventually he closed his eyes and just went with his feelings, what he felt was right.  _So right...this feels so right...with Terry as...my boyfriend._  And at that moment, to Simon, all felt right with the world.

~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~

Moshi Moshi: Hello

Sorry for the delay in these chapters!  Both myself and my translator (let's have a GREAT many thanks to Luna for helping me with the Japanese parts) had college finals so it was a bit hectic.  Furthermore, as it is now winter break and I am on vacation (and going to actually fly somewhere for the first time in years), I have one or two more updates, but there may be a pause until I start really churning out chapters again (probably around February).  Glad you've enjoyed it so far!


	7. Trouble Stirring

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_by Cypher_

Chapter Seven: Trouble Stirring 

"Ohayo." 

Terry continued to watch the eggs in the frying pan, raising a hand to wave at his brother. "Good morning. When'd you get in?" 

"Early, actually. Shortly after midnight." Jordon grabbed a mug from a cabinet and walked over to a thermos on the stove. "You make a new pot this morning?" 

"Always do." Terry flipped the eggs over. "Only you would consider midnight early. And aren't you up a bit early for coming in so late?" 

"I survive on caffeine. You know that by now." Jordon sipped his coffee. "So, how'd it go last night? Discussion go well?" 

"You could say that. It's still experimental for him. We're officially dating, though. And you can't tell a soul." 

"I won't. Who would I tell?" Jordon sat at the kitchen table. "Well, I guess it's a good thing I checked on you two." 

Jordon tensed slightly. "Aniki..." 

"I mean, I just want to make sure you don't prematurely decide to slee-" 

"ECCHI!" Terry threw a spatula at Jordon, which struck him in the head, handle first. 

"Itai! That hurt! And I'm not a pervert!" 

"Then get your mind out of the gutter! It's not like I check when you're talking to Sakura to see if you and she-" 

"Don't even finish that sentence." Jordon rubbed his head. "You have a mean throw, you know." 

"Years of throwing things at you built up my muscles." 

Simon, dressed in pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt, walked in and blinked. "Is...everything okay? I heard yelling." 

"That was just my brother burning his tongue on his coffee." 

Jordon grumbled and drank his coffee. 

Simon shook his head and walked over to Terry. "You say my family's weird, but I don't think I'll ever get used to the way you two interact." 

"You won't have to soon enough." 

Simon glanced back at Jordon, confused. "What do you mean by that?" 

"Nothing. Hope you like eggs over easy." Terry scooped the eggs onto plates. 

"Oh, yeah. You didn't have to, though." 

"Ah, I enjoy cooking. I have some sausage and hash browns simmering in the oven, if you want to grab a mitt and pull them out for me." 

"Yeah, no prob." Simon grabbed a hot pad and opened the oven door. "Why do you have two ovens, anyway?" 

"For my brother." Jordon got up and grabbed the thermos. "So he can cook two things at once. Damned annoying." 

"Jordon." Terry glared at his brother. 

Simon placed the trays on hot plates on the counter. "Is he okay?" 

"He's just cranky in the morning." Terry handed a spatula to Simon and a plate of eggs. "Just have what you want. I'll grab the orange juice." 

Simon nodded. "What about Jordon?" 

"I'll deal with it. If he goes near the trays, he'll burn himself." Terry opened the fridge and pulled out a pitcher. 

"Oh sure, make me look clumsy." 

"You ARE clumsy." Terry rolled his eyes. "Honestly." 

Jordon snorted. "Oh, and I met the Camden girl. Lucy I think." 

Simon sat across from Jordon and looked at the elder brother. "Where? I thought you were working?" 

"We ran into each other when I stopped by the library. She seems pretty nice." Jordon's eyes drifted towards Terry. "She wanted to know how to seduce you." 

Simon choked on his bite of sausage. 

Terry patted Simon's back and placed a glass of juice in front of him. "You set her straight, so to speak, right?" 

"I have a feeling she's not giving up yet." Jordon poured himself another mug of coffee. "You okay, Simon?" 

Simon drank from his glass and nodded slightly. "Yeah, it's just...you said it at a bad time." He swallowed, making sure his throat was clear. 

Terry brought two more plates over and a glass of orange juice for himself. Sitting between Jordon and Simon, he began eating. "He has a bad sense of timing, for all things." 

"Shut up." Jordon munched on his breakfast. "So, I hear you and my brother are an item now." 

Terry closed his eyes. _Idiot._

Simon choked again, fortunately this time it was just on his juice. "You promised!" 

Terry patted Simon's arm. "He's my brother. He would either figure it out or I'd tell him. Besides, who's he going to tell? He's an antisocial who barely interacts with others." 

Jordon sniffed and sat back. "I resent that. I'll have you know I talk plenty with the other astronomers." 

"And what do you talk about other than 'may I have that data' or 'come look at this' or 'good evening,' hmm?" 

Jordon stuck his tongue out at Terry and continued eating. 

"Real mature, bro. Don't worry, Simon. He won't tell anyone, and he's perfectly okay with my relationships." 

"You're sure?" Simon eyed Jordon. 

"Trust me." Terry retracted his arm and continued eating. "But Jordon? I think it'd be best if you shut up the rest of the meal so that Simon doesn't choke again." 

Jordon rolled his eyes. 

Simon just ate. 

After another few minutes had passed, Terry looked at Simon. "So, next Friday why don't we go to another movie. This time you can actually pay attention." 

Simon blushed and looked at his food. "I didn't think you noticed." 

"I did. And you can pick the film." 

"I should pay. I mean, you've done so much, and PAID for so much." Simon looked at him. "Does modeling really make that much money?" 

"That and a few savings accounts. Plus I do oddball jobs here and there. I was in a commercial when we were staying in Hollywood one time. Apparently I'm not very talented at acting." 

"How very, VERY true." 

"Oh shut up. I was only nine. And you haven't even been on camera." 

Jordon shrugged. "Doesn't matter. It's true, you can't act. You're great in still shots, though." 

Terry shook his head and faced Simon again. "I don't mind going dutch." 

"Dutch?" Simon furrowed his brow. 

"I pay for half, you pay for half." Terry dipped his sausage into his egg yolk. "But I'll leave it up to you." 

"I'll consider it." Simon tapped his plate with his fork a couple times. 

Terry tilted his head. "Something wrong?" 

"No. Yes. I don't know. Everything feels fine, for the first time in months, but I have this...this...upset feeling in my stomach." 

Terry and Jordon exchanged glances. 

"Excuse me. I have to get ready for class." Jordon stood up and left the kitchen. 

Simon nodded. "See ya." 

Terry listened for his brother's door before turning to Simon again. "Is it because you're afraid to go home? Of what others will think of you?" 

Simon nodded slightly. "How do you do that? Just guess what I'm feeling?" 

"I'm good at reading people. You're also not the first person I've helped. This isn't uncommon, when the family is left uninformed." 

"I'm just...scared. I feel happy, actually happy, just by the decision I made last night. But..what if they reject me? What if they hate me?" Simon looked up at Terry, unshed tears hiding in his blue-tinted eyes. "I can't live without my family. They mean so much." 

Terry got up and hugged Simon, closing his eyes. "Hey, it'll work out. I'll help you through this, and we'll make them understand what's going on." 

"How?" Simon pulled back and looked at him. "Even I'm not sure I understand what's going on." 

Terry sighed and knelt by the blond. "Simon, this is a major change for you, something that'll affect the rest of your life, your relationships with your friends and family, how they treat you, how the world treats you." 

"That doesn't exactly make me feel better." Simon exhaled and looked away. 

Terry reached up and tilted his head back. "Hey, let me finish. I was going to say that it'll only be temporary for some things. Your family, above most, will grow to understand." 

Simon shook his head. "You don't know how strong their opinions are." 

"I do know how strong I am, and how good I am at enlightening others. Even if it takes time, I know they'll choose your happiness over their biases, and eventually those biases will wash away too." 

"I wish I had your certainty." 

Terry took a deep breath and glanced at the floor. "Simon, until you know for certain, it's a moot point. Once you know, we'll cross that bridge. And I'll be there to help you do it. For now, though, your family is merely worried and cares for you." Terry leaned back on his haunches. "You're family loves you very much, or they wouldn't be making such an effort to help you now, even when you've told them you're fine. With love like that, it'll work out."  
Simon thought things over for a few minutes. "Thanks." 

Terry ran a hand through Simon's slightly disheveled blond locks. "It'll all work out. I don't know how, but it will. There is a Divine Plan, after all." 

Simon chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I guess you're right." 

Terry patted Simon's knee and stood up. "Come on. My brother will deal with the dishes. Why don't we clean up and get ready to head to your house." 

Simon nodded and stood as well. "Alright. I am kinda curious about the Jacuzzi." 

Terry put an arm around Simon's shoulders. "I'm warning you now, it's heaven." 

~*()*~ 

"Where is he?" Matt ran a hand through his hair and sat forward on the couch. "It's nearly eleven." 

"What are you nervous about? I mean, he said he didn't get anyone pregnant." Ruthie flipped through the channels on the television. 

"Doesn't matter. Dax was right, I don't trust him. I mean, someone like that taking an interest in Simon? There's got to be a reason." 

"Maybe he's trying to get Simon into the modeling business." 

Matt blinked and looked at Ruthie. "You know, there's a thought. Maybe that's what's kept him preoccupied. He's wondering if he got in. It's obvious Dax has money, and Simon has always had an affinity for making money." Matt rubbed his chin. "If that's the case, I wonder if he could get me a job." 

Ruthie snorted. 

Matt looked at her. "Hey, it could happen. I am pretty good looking." 

Ruthie's reply was cut off as the front door opened and Simon walked in. "Hey, thanks for the ride." Shutting the door, he headed for the stairs. 

Matt got up and left the living room, following Simon. 

When Ruthie was sure Matt was gone, she rolled her eyes. Happy raised her head to look at her a moment, before hopping off the couch and heading up the stairs to see Simon as well. Pushing open the door, Happy walked past the two humans and hopped onto the bed. 

"I still can't believe you said that. Don't you trust me and in my judgment? I'm not going to do something stupid like get a girl pregnant. The family had enough problems with that when they thought YOU got someone pregnant." 

"That's a low blow." Matt put his hands in his pockets and rested against Simon's dresser. "And we're just worried about you, that's all. Besides, now I think I've figured it out." 

Simon paused in his unpacking, frowning. "Oh?" 

"You're trying to be a model." 

Simon groaned and rested his head against the wall. "Matt, that's about as dumb as me getting a woman pregnant." 

"Why is it dumb? You'd make great money, and you'd attract girls." Matt took a hand out and rested an arm on the edge of the furniture. "It fits with you." 

_Except I don't WANT to attract girls. But I can't tell you that. Of everyone, I think you'll be as hard to tell as mom and dad._ "It may, but I'm not. For your information, I attract girls just fine. Now," he placed his bag on the floor and turned around, "if you'll excuse me, I have to go do my laundry." 

"Fine, fine. But I am here if you want to talk." 

"Yeah, I know. You've been reminding me for weeks." Simon left to get a basket. 

Matt shook his head and headed for his room. 

_Honestly, a girl pregnant? Where does he get these ideas. I mean, I expect that paranoia from dad, but Matt?_ Grabbing a laundry basket, he paused as the phone rang. Glancing around, he shrugged and picked it up. "Hello?" 

"Simon? Long time." 

Simon leaned against the counter, the basket dangling from one hand. "Hey Mary." 

"How've you been?" 

"Okay, I guess." 

"That's good." 

Simon waited a few minutes. "What?" 

"You got a girl pregnant?" 

Simon thumped the back of his head against the cabinet. "No, I didn't. Who told you that?" 

"Lucy. She also said something about hanging out with a model?" 

"Yeah, he's a new friend." 

"Is he single?" 

Simon sighed. "No. Look, do you want me to get you someone?" 

"Well, I was trying to reach mom." 

"Mom's not home, actually." Simon stood straight. "Something wrong?" 

"Not really. I'll just call later. Nice to talk with you." 

"Yeah, you too." 

"Bye." 

Simon listened to the dial tone a moment before hanging up. "From Lucy?" Hanging up the phone, he headed upstairs, the basket trailing behind him. Stopping at the head of the stairs, he listened at the door to the attic. _Not home. Figures._ Making a mental note to talk to his older sister later, he went into his bedroom and started filling the basket. 

~*()*~ 

"So, is it true?" 

Terry stretched his bare chest and glanced at his female companion. "Is what true? Go ahead." 

A young woman, about Jordon's age, stood a few feet from Terry. Her raven hair was tied in a bun and her aquamarine eyes scanned over Terry's body a moment. "About the new guy you had over last night." She raised a spray bottle and squirted him. 

"GAH! That's cold!" 

"Oh my. I guess I accidentally left it in the refrigerator when I got my soda." 

"Accidentally my foot." Terry grabbed the bottle and set it in the sun. "Let it warm up a bit." He crossed his arms and leveled his eyes at her. "And yes, it is. You can't tell anybody." 

"Okay, okay." She hopped on a chair. "So, details? What's he look like, is he smart, what?" 

"Kouhaku..." Terry uncrossed his arms and sat in a director's chair, his right hand fiddling with the leg of his jeans. "Amber, look, I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone. He's from a religious family." 

"Religious? How religious?" Amber raised an eyebrow. 

Terry nodded a bit. "His father's a minister."  
"No way! I guess what they say about alter boys is true." 

"Hey!" 

"Kidding, kidding. And I won't tell anyone. Come on, gimme some details. Is he the one?" She looked at the bottle. 

Terry sighed and leaned back, staring at the ceiling of the studio. "My brother asked me the same question. To be honest, I think he is. He's smart, handsome, a dancer from all accounts, and he knows who he is and what he wants to work in." 

"Well, that's more than you." 

Terry looked at his friend. "Urusai." He crossed his arms again and crossed his legs. "He's just a really great guy, but his family would also probably get really upset at him. And family means a lot to him. If it comes to choosing me or them..." Terry looked away. 

"You would do that. Stop being so self-sacrificing." 

"When you love someone, you make sacrifices to make them happy." 

"Love? You're using the L-word this soon?" 

"Shh. He doesn't know, and I'm not going to complicate things for him by telling him until he's ready. He's still experimenting. If he decides it's not this thing-" 

"You'd be heartbroken and probably go into a suicidal depression." 

Terry snorted. "Being a little dramatic, aren't we?" 

Amber shrugged. "Maybe." 

"Besides, I think he knows it too, on some level. He's just scared. It's a lot for him to take in, especially after living the life he has. I'm not going to rush things." 

"What if you weren't gay and he was a woman." 

"I'd ask for his hand in marriage immediately." 

"Hoeee! This IS love! Invoking your Japanese acceptance of marriage at a young age! He must be a looker." 

Terry shot a look at her. "Hey, you know, looks aren't everything." 

"Still, there are some basics for you. Let's see...he must be blond, fair skinned at the least, and have nice eyes. Intelligence has never been high on your list." 

"Remind me, why am I friends with you again?" 

"Because we've been modeling together for over five years. So am I right?" 

"You know me too well, that's the problem. And for your information, he is highly intelligent." 

Amber smirked. "So when do I get to meet him? After all, not just anyone can go out with you." 

"Oh, so now you're in with aniki on approving my boyfriends?" Terry grabbed the bottle and tossed it to her. "You'll meet him when he wants to meet you." He stood. "Now squirt. We've got a shoot to do." 

"Yeah, yeah." 

~*()*~ 

"Is it just me, or does Simon seem better than he was yesterday?" Annie folded a shirt and looked at her husband. 

Eric nodded, folding some towels on the other side of the table. "Yeah, he does." 

"Maybe Dax was right, it was just a little phase he was going through because of high school." 

"Maybe, but I'm not going to call it a closed case just yet. He's still hiding something." 

"Don't bug him about it. He'll come to us or Matt eventually." 

"It's that eventually that bothers me." 

Simon padded down the stairs, opened a jar, and grabbed a cookie. Putting the lid back, he walked over to the table and took a bite out of the treat. "What's up?" 

"Oh, nothing much. Just doing some laundry." Annie began folding a bed sheet. 

"And talking about me." Simon put the cookie down and dusted off his hands. Grabbing the other end of the bed sheet, he helped his mother fold it up. "The stairs really carry sound, you know." 

"Well, we're still a little worried. And Matt doesn't trust Dax." Eric grabbed some of the twins' socks and began sorting them. "Can you blame us?" 

"Dad, I'm fine, now. I was having a rough spot, and Terry helped me through it." Grabbing the semi-folded sheet from his mother, he finished folding it and placed it on the table. "It's just something that I couldn't take to my family yet. I'll tell you about it some day." Picking up his cookie, he headed up the stairs again. 

"Think we should worry about that?" Eric looked at Annie. 

Annie shook her head. "Not yet." 

Simon came back down to the foot of the stairs and leaned against the wall. "By the way, is it okay if I go to Terry's church tomorrow?" 

Eric blinked. "Well..." 

"Dad, he's trustworthy. And it's a church. What could happen there?" 

Eric opened his mouth. 

"It'll be fine. Just be back by one." 

Simon nodded and gave his mother a small smile. "Thanks mom. Dad." Taking another bite out of his cookie, he headed back up the stairs again. 

"Are you sure that's wise? Jordon and Dax don't seem the most stable of characters." 

"The same could be said for Lucy or Matt. It's just one service, Eric. It'll be fine." Picking up the folded laundry, she placed it in a basket and lifted it. "He'll be fine." 

Eric sighed and nodded. "I know. It's just, the thought of my kids going to a different church." He dropped the pair of socks he was working on and folded his hands together. "It won't look that good." 

"Robbie doesn't go to our church and he's practically family." Annie stood at the foot of the stairs. "It'll be fine. It's not like he's converting religions or anything." 

Eric nodded. "Okay, good point." Looking back down at the socks, he shook his head and began sorting them again. "I'll be up in a few minutes." 

"Take your time." Annie headed for the linen closet. 

~*()*~ 

"So, we'll go in August and I'll be back around late September?" 

"Maybe early October." Jordon looked through the calendar. "Are you sure you can miss those first few weeks?" 

"I'm only going to be taking three AP classes. The rest are basic courses to ensure I meet college requirements. And I'll just get the books and such before the year ends." Terry sat back with his own planner and flipped through the pages. "So you're staying with Sakura?" 

"Only at the same house." 

"How long before you and she get married?" 

"Oh, you know. Probably a couple years." 

"What about that legend of two todai students who enter together?" Terry smirked. 

"Oh shut up." 

Terry chuckled and closed his planner. "You make it so easy." 

"Urusai." Jordon tossed his calendar onto the coffee table and sat back on the couch. "I will be calling, you know. To make sure everything's okay." 

"I'm not a child, bro. I can handle myself easily. After all, I've handled you for the past few years, and you're harder to take care of than me." Terry put his hands behind his head. "Besides, I'll have Simon and his family to help me a bit." 

"You sure the family will accept you after he makes the announcement?" 

Terry looked at the ceiling. "I don't know. I'm praying that their love for Simon and his happiness will overcome any biases they might have." 

"And if they don't?" Jordon eyed his younger brother. "You could be ostracized." 

"I'll finish high school at a JC. It wouldn't be hard considering what I'm taking. And then I'll just go away to college." 

"Tokyo U?" 

"Not a prayer. They snagged you and that's more than enough. Not Stanford either. I'll go where I want to, and not because of some stupid family tradition." 

"Don't let dad hear you say that." 

"I haven't talked to dad in years. Remember, he doesn't like me." 

Jordon sighed. "You really should try to make peace with him. You never know if there'll be a laboratory accident." 

Terry shrugged. "Jordon, he's hardly played a role in my life. WHEN he dies, I'll be upset and mourn, but I won't be as hurt as you or mom. And someone has to be the designated driver." 

"That's a poor excuse for not talking with him." 

Terry snorted. "Having to do research was a poor excuse for him to ignore me. He could've put it on hold." 

"Maybe, but you should be the bigger man and make the first move. And he didn't ignore you. In fact he took better care of you because he couldn't be here." 

Terry crossed his arms and eyed his brother. "Meaning what?" 

"Who do you think insisted you be home school by a Japanese sensei? Certainly not mom. And who paid for all those special lessons when you were younger, both the field trips and the martial arts? Mom was at home. In the long-run, I got gypped. I had to transfer to Japan to get a decent education. You were given it in the comfort of your home on your time." 

Terry remained silent a few minutes, thinking. "And my orientation?" 

Jordon winced slightly. "Okay, so he's still stuck in the old school of thought a bit. But what do you expect? He grew up in a very traditional household. Mom was probably the most modern thing that he ever experienced." 

"And look how long that lasted." 

"Hey." Jordon shook his head. "That's not fair. It was an amiable divorce. Both of them wanted it." Jordon reached out and patted Terry's shoulder. "Now stop pouting and make amends. I want you to do that by the end of this year." 

"Yes, mom." Terry sighed and got up. "I'm going to play for a bit, you going to join in or not?" 

"I've got to look over some observatory pictures. Sorry." 

"Sure. Night." 

"Night." Jordon watched his brother head to his room and took a sip from his soda. _If only he realized how much dad has done for him. He may say yes, but I know him._ The notes of a flute floated into the room. _He doesn't understand that in dad's field of work, if it goes nuclear, he's gone. Then again, he does have a point that dad hasn't really talked to him. Hell, he hasn't talked to any of us for almost six months. Still, he took care of Terry in other ways._ Setting his soda down, he dug through his backpack and pulled out a couple manilla envelopes and a laptop. "Now let's see..." 

~*()*~ 

Despite Simon's anticipation of going to church with Terry, he managed to sleep through his alarm. It wasn't until Matt came in and woke him that he realized that he had only thirty minutes to get ready. Rushing through his morning routine, he somehow managed to get dressed and be presentable by the time Terry rung the bell. Grabbing his watch and wallet, he left his room and headed down the stairs. 

"You're not driving, are you?" 

Simon frowned. _Why is dad asking Terry that?_ Turning the corner, though, he saw that Jordon was at the door, yawning and looking very much like he had just woken up. _Where's Terry?_

"Terry is. He thought if he left me in the car I-" Jordon yawned again. "I'd fall asleep." 

"Have you tried coffee? Or going to bed earlier?" 

Jordon gave Eric a glare, one that came off as annoyed look. "I've had two cups already." 

Simon stepped up behind Eric. "Dad, I'll handle it. You're going to make us late." 

"Sorry." Eric stood aside and Simon walked by, grabbing Jordon by the wrist as he did. "Be home by one. And be careful."  
"I will." Dragging Jordon along, Simon saw Terry motion for him to place his older brother in the back of the car. Nodding, Simon did just that, raising an eyebrow when Jordon fell over and curled up on the seat. "Is he like this EVERY morning?" He climbed into the passenger side and buckled up. 

"Only Sundays. The rest of the week his classes start at noon, so he gets up around ten and has time to wake up." Reaching back, Terry squirted Jordon with a water bottle. 

"Uh, pto, wha?" Jordon blinked and sat up, some water dripping down the side of his face. 

"Stay awake. You'll drool on the back seat." Terry handed the bottle to Simon. "If he falls asleep, would you mind squirting him?" 

Simon looked at the bottle. "Uh, I guess." 

Terry smiled and turned back to the road. Checking around, he pulled out and drove away from the Camden house. "So, you have a good morning?" 

"Kinda. I sorta slept in so I was rushed. I didn't get much to eat." 

"Take comfort in that you don't look as bad as my brother." 

"True." Simon looked in the back seat, making sure Jordon was still awake. 

"Oh shut up. Not like you're fun in the morning, either." Jordon stretched and crossed his arms. "He's cranky as hell until he has tea." 

"Tea? Not coffee?" Simon tilted his head. "But, the other day..." 

"I drink coffee a couple times a week as a treat. Tea is healthier for you, though. And if you get the right type, the flavor alone will curl your hair." 

"Huh." Simon thought about it. 

"Oh, before I forget, look out for a girl with black hair and blue eyes." Terry watched a stoplight. 

"Why?" 

"She's a close friend, and rather...anxious to meet my current boyfriend." 

"You told another-" 

"She figured it out. She's known me practically my entire modeling career. I know her secrets, she knows mine. She figured it out on her own. Don't worry, she won't tell anyone. She doesn't even live in this town." 

Simon blinked and frowned slightly, wondering if Terry could really keep his promise. "Then, how did she know?" 

"She lives a town over, and the photo studio is on the edge of Glen Oak. Everything else she learns through deductive reasoning, or her inside source." 

"Inside source?" Simon glanced at the back seat. 

Jordon shrugged. "She asked why she couldn't come over Friday, and I told her it was because Terry was having a boyfriend over." 

Simon hung his head. "You sure he can keep this a secret?" 

"Oh yeah." Terry pulled into a parking lot and parked the car. "Here we are. I know it's not much to look at, but it's warm on the inside." 

Simon unbuckled and leaned forward, examining the simplistic rectangular building. "You're right, it's not much to look at." 

"But they're friendly inside, and they won't tell anyone. None of them go to our school anyway." Terry unbuckled as well and got out of the car. "Come on, aniki. You can sleep through the sermon like you always do." 

"Har har." Jordon sluggishly climbed out of the back seat. 

Terry walked around and put an arm around Simon's shoulders. "Don't worry, they'll welcome you, and help you answer any questions I couldn't." 

Simon looked at Terry, then nodded and shut his door. "Alright. Thanks." 

"No prob." Terry headed for the church. "Come on, bro." 

"Hai, hai." Jordon stumbled after them. 

~*()*~ 

When Simon returned home, he leaned against the fence, looking at the back door, hands in his pockets. He knew where he was, but his mind wasn't fully on the present. Part of it was due to how stuffed he was, thanks to the breakfast Terry and Jordon had treated him to after the service. The other reason, though, was due to Terry kissing him again. This time far stronger, more intense, than he had kissed the night before. Simon wasn't stunned because he didn't want Terry to kiss him, or because of how powerful it was. He was stunned because unlike last night, he fully returned the kiss, and it felt great. Not good, not okay, not like all the times he had kissed a girl, but great, almost euphoric. He was a little set off by the sounds Terry's friend, Amber, had made while they were kissing, but she soon vanished from his thoughts, as Terry's mouth, arms, and body became the sole focus of his existence. Without realizing it, as he relived the memory in his mind, a smile tugged at his lips. 

That's how Lucy had found him. She called him a couple times, then waved a hand in front of his face. The dreamy look on his face told her that nothing short of pain would snap him out of his haze. _Well then..._ She reached out and pinched his upper arm, hard. 

"Ow!" Simon pulled away and rubbed his arm. "What was that for?" 

"Finally. I've been trying to get your attention for a while." Lucy crossed her arms. "So you met a girl at his church, huh?" 

"What? What makes you say that for?" 

"The dreamy look. Must've been some attraction you felt." 

Simon felt his ears burn and he hunched his shoulders a bit. "It's none of your business." He pushed off from the fence and headed for the house. 

"Oh, everyone will make it their business. Trust me. So what's she like? Tall and gorgeous? Great talker? What?" 

Simon looked at his sister. "I said it's none of your business. Go bug Matt or something." He grabbed the handle to the back door. 

"Tell you what," she stepped in front of him, "get me a date with Dax and I won't tell Matt." 

Simon scowled and opened the door. "He's not your type. Besides, he's got a date for the rest of the school year, so he can't go out with you." 

Lucy blinked. "He has a date? I thought he went out with you on Fridays." 

Simon mentally kicked himself. "Yeah, he just wants to hang out with me, okay? Dating isn't on his mind. So stop trying to bug him. He said he wanted to be friends, isn't that enough?" He walked past his mother in the kitchen and went up the stairs. 

Lucy stayed at the door, staring where Simon stood a moment. _Hmm...this is curious._ Going in and shutting the door, she went into the kitchen and leaned on the counter, thinking. 

"Is something wrong with your brother? He looked a little upset when he came by." Annie took another knife-full of mayonnaise and continued making sandwiches for lunch. 

"I'm not sure. I said something that upset him, I think. Or maybe it's a girl. I'm sure Ruthie will find out soon enough." 

Annie sighed and looked at the ceiling. First her family had to deal with her mood swings, and now they had to deal with her middle son's mood swings. 

Lucy headed for the stairs as well. _Simon and Terry are hiding something. Just hanging out with Simon for the school year? Yeah, right. Like he'd rather spend time with Simon than me. I think I'll go out next Friday as well._

__~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Ohayo: good morning 

Ecchi: mild pervert  
Itai: ow 

Kouhaku: amber 

Todai: Tokyo University Student 

Hai: yes 


	8. Stalking

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_by Cypher_

Chapter Eight: Stalking 

Simon straightened his shirt and looked in the mirror. Though to his family and the rest of the world he would be at the movies with a friend, to him it was a date, and he wanted to look good. Earlier Terry had called and said they would be on the motorcycle tonight, so he knew that what he was going to wear needed to match his leather jacket. Terry had also explained the importance of leather on a motorcycle. Though not as well cushioned as some things, it was a safety measure in case of an accident. Simon had turned a bit red at that, remembering the leather pants Terry had worn their first night out. He had really looked good in them. 

Of course, he realized that, as a model, Terry probably looked good in just about anything. Still, that meant he wanted to look good as well. He had to be careful, though. Otherwise his family might suspect that this was a date, not just friends going out. Thankfully, Matt had to pull an emergency shift at the clinic, leaving just Ruthie and Lucy to really worry about. Mom and dad he could think up some excuse, or Terry could, but the other two were too aware of how he did things. 

Pulling on his jacket, he fixed its collar and looked himself over one last time. The jeans said this was a casual event, but he wasn't sure of the shirt. It was a simple long-sleeved black shirt, but it was something he usually wore when meeting a girl, or when he was trying to meet one. Shrugging, he decided that he could use the motorcycle as an excuse and grabbed the rest of his things. It was about six, the time Terry would be swinging by. Simon checked his wallet, making sure he had enough money. 

He and Terry had disagreed about who would be paying for the movie, so they made a compromise. Terry would pay for a small dinner they would have after the movie, and Simon would pay for the tickets and other stuff at the theater. It wasn't exactly what Simon wanted, but Terry insisted. Simon also decided on the movie. It was more one his style, one that supposedly had action and fighting. Granted, he had never heard of Princess Mononoke, but some of his friends had recommended it. It was also an older movie, but then again, it was an older theater that didn't always have modern shows playing. 

Deciding he had everything, he left for the living room, knowing Terry would be on time, and wanting to be there to make a hasty exit and avoid his siblings. 

And, exactly at six, Simon heard the doorbell. Opening it, he smiled at Terry. Terry smiled and nodded back. He was wearing normal jeans, but his leather jacket was zipped up. Terry had picked up that Simon wanted to leave as soon as possible. 

Zipping up his own jacket, he glanced towards the kitchen. "Mom, dad, I'll be back by curfew." 

Annie came out of the kitchen and looked at the two teens. "Okay. Are you sure it's okay to drive that thing with two people?" 

Terry nodded. "Perfectly safe. I've driven my brother on it before, and he's heavier than Simon. And if my brother thought it was unsafe, he would insist on the car. Believe me." 

"Well, alright. Have fun." 

"We will." Simon headed out. 

Terry grinned at Annie and shut the door behind him. 

Lucy came up behind Annie. "Mom? I'm going to be going now." 

"Alright, not too late." 

"I won't." Lucy smiled and headed outside as well. _Time to see if I learned anything from Matt and dad._

Terry handed a helmet to Simon and put his on. "I figured we would catch the movie first, then go for a late dinner." 

Simon tightened the strap of his own helmet. "Actually, I'm pretty hungry. Could we do dinner first?" 

"Of course. I found this great place, lots of privacy." Terry rested his helmet against Simon's a moment. "It's doubtful anyone we know will be there." 

Simon blushed through the visor. "Sounds f-fine." 

Terry chuckled and climbed onto the bike. "Think you can do it in one try this time?" 

Simon shook his head. "I doubt it, but we'll see." 

Lucy, sitting in a car, watched Simon mount the bike. "He must've been practicing or something." Hearing the bike rev its engine, she started her own car. "Lead the way, little brother." 

Terry took off, not noticing the car that followed only minutes behind them. 

~*()*~ 

"Aaaa." 

Simon laughed and swallowed the noodles from the fork. "I can feed myself." He wiped his chin with his napkin. "Honestly. It's not like I'm a kid." 

"Yeah, but I thought you might like a taste. It's great linguini." 

"I'm fine, really." Simon looked around. "When you said private, you meant private." 

"The booths are ridiculously tall. The only way a person can see you is if they're directly across the room." Terry grinned. "And at this hour, it's usually not too full. It's more of a lunch place, actually. But great food." 

"Where do you find these places?" Simon cut into his lasagna. 

"I'm a model, so every now and then the higher ups take us out to eat. Someplace that DOESN'T have lobster." He winked at Simon. "Though I know a great place for that, too." 

"Man, how'd you become a model?"  
"Mom, actually."  
"Really?" Simon sipped his water. "Why?"  
"Well, the way Jordon was growing, he was becoming the 'serious' brother. She decided I should be the wild one. I think she was trying to relive some of her youth, too. So, she got me into modeling when I was seven. My sensei thought it was a great way to teach me of responsibility and the work world. She's also the one that insisted I learn to ride a motorcycle." 

Simon shook his head. "Man, your mom is really something. When do I get to meet her?" 

"I'm holding out on that. Don't want to scare you or your family away." 

Simon crossed his arms. "What, think I can't handle it?" 

"Simon, I'm her son and I can barely handle it. She's very, very intense. It doesn't help she's so young." 

"How old is she?" 

Terry took another bite of noodles and ate them, closing his eyes a minute. He swallowed. "Well, I'm seventeen, Jordon is twenty-two, let's see. Thirty-seven." 

Simon did some math in his head and coughed. "She was sixteen?!" 

"Fifteen, actually." Terry drank his soda. "She was in high school, and dad was guest lecturing, and boom, they hit it off. She was pregnant a month later and they got married." 

"She was a teenager. Wow...my mom would kill Lucy or Mary, and dad would kill the guy." 

"You think that's bad? Dad was forty-three at the time." 

Simon's eyes widened and stared at Terry. He felt his mouth open and shut a couple times, but he couldn't seem to get anything out. 

"I know, I know, in America that would be considered statutory rape. That's why he took her to Japan. Older men marrying younger women, yes even that much younger, is socially acceptable. She got her GED when Jordon was two, and then right before she had me, she entered Stanford to become a reporter." 

"Forty-three? That would make him over sixty now!" 

"He just had his sixty-sixth birthday." Terry tilted his head. "You okay? You look a bit pale." 

"It's just, I mean, forty-three?" Simon shook his head. "It's a bit too much for me."  
"Look at it this way: love knows no boundaries, be it age or sex." 

Simon looked away. That was one reason he was with Terry. Love did know no boundaries. 

"If it makes you feel better, though, even I think it's a bit disturbing. I'm just not one to criticize." Terry patted Simon's shoulder. "Simon?" 

Simon looked back at Terry. "Just thinking. That's...it's a lot to digest about one family. One weird family." 

Terry shrugged. "Jordon and I got used to it. Besides," Terry smirked, "as I've said before, your family seems weird to me." 

Simon smiled. "Sometimes they seem weird to me too." 

"Now, we'd better hurry if we want to catch the movie." 

Simon looked at his watch. "You're right." Simon took a couple more bites of his food. 

Terry simply put on his jacket, catching the attention of their waiter.  
~*()*~  
Lucy shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. After she had seen Simon enter the restaurant, she left to grab a bite to eat at a nearby hamburger joint. After eating, she huddled in her car, watching the entrance of the restaurant. _Dax must be paying. Even Simon can't afford this._ She suspected that the two boys were actually meeting girls, but something was nagging in the back of her mind, telling her it wasn't as obvious as that. _But what could it be?_

She sat up a bit as her prey exited the building. Thinking for a moment, she got out of the car. _They might think the car is familiar, but if I'm in it, they'll know what's going on._ Locking the door, she hid by a tree. 

"That was too much, Terry. Really. You shouldn't spoil me." 

"I don't mind spoiling you. Besides, who else would I spend money on?" Terry grabbed Simon's arm and pulled him to the side of the restaurant, into its shadow. 

"What? Something wrong?" 

Terry looked around, then leaned forward and kissed Simon. Simon tensed a moment, then closed his eyes and returned it, wrapping an arm around Terry's waist. 

On one level Lucy knew her mouth was open, that she was staring, and that she had stepped out from behind her hiding place. These realizations, however, were overridden by all other aspects of her mind, running through emotions from shock to anger to uncertainty. It was like stepping in when her parents had sex. It was horrible and she wanted to leave, but she couldn't pull her eyes away. 

Terry pulled away and smiled at Simon. "Just wanted to do that before we had to behave ourselves again." 

Simon blushed lightly and looked at Terry. "I-" His eyes glanced over Terry's shoulder and he froze. "I...I...oh God." 

Terry frowned, confused a moment. Then he realized Simon was staring at something. "What?" Turning around, he saw what Simon did: Lucy Camden, staring at them in complete shock. "Oh no." Pushing Simon back a bit, he ran towards Lucy. 

Lucy kept her eyes on Simon, not even realizing Terry was coming towards her until he was nearly on top of her. Snapping out of it, she turned to run for the car. Terry was faster and grabbed her arm. "Let go!" She struggled a bit. 

Terry tightened his grip and pulled her around, looking her in the eyes. "Calm down! And what are you doing here?" 

"You kissed my brother! Is that the secret? Is that why you can't go out with me?" Lucy pulled her arm out of Terry's grip and glared at him. "I can't believe you. You...you..." 

Terry sighed. "Don't complete that sentence." Glancing around, he spotted Lucy's car. Nodding, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her towards it. "Let's talk." 

"Let go of me! I don't want to be near you! And I'm taking Simon with me!" 

"Simon's old enough to decide who he wants to be with." Looking Lucy over, Terry pried Lucy's other hand open and retrieved the keys. 

"Hey!" 

"Sorry." Unlocking the car, he pushed her in and followed, locking the doors. "Look-" 

"What did you do to Simon? Why were you two kissing? He's not like that! That's a sin, a perversion!" 

"And that's what he is. He's gay. So am I." 

Lucy stared at Terry, stunned momentarily at the open confession. "No he's not! Change him back!" 

Rubbing his face, Terry sighed. "Lucy, I've been told how you react, so I'm going to be blunt. Shut up and listen." 

"Make me!" 

Terry grabbed her wrist and applied some pressure. His voice was completely serious. "That's a phrase you never want to use with me." 

Lucy winced and tugged her arm. She felt relieved when Terry released her wrist and she rubbed it, looking at him with a mixture of fear and anger. "Who are you?" 

"I'm the same Terry Dax you've known since you met me." 

"He's not gay!" 

"Yes, he is, and has been for a long time. I realized it a long time ago, along with the fact that in some places, you can't openly admit that. Glen Oak is one of them." 

"Then what'd you do to Simon? He certainly wasn't gay before you arrived." 

"Homosexuality isn't a choice, Lucy." Terry looked her in the eyes. "We're born a certain way, and discover our way later. Simon was merely imitating his brother and following societal standards." Terry ran a hand through his hair. "Didn't you notice how he was becoming more secluded and brooding before I arrived?" 

Lucy looked out the windshield a moment. "So? What does that prove?" 

"He was questioning his sexual orientation when I met him. Rather than having it be suppressed or some worse form of action, I helped him realize what he was feeling, make peace with it." 

"That still doesn't make him gay." Lucy looked at Terry. "Just because you talked to him and kissed him doesn't make him gay. He could be confused." 

"He's admitted he's not sure he's gay, but he wants to experiment, to see if it feels right. Coming from your family, I think I can understand his fears of going to you guys about this. That's why he wanted it to be a secret. He's afraid of what has happened here." Terry looked at the roof of the car. "Lucy, I know you had a crush on me." 

Lucy turned her nose up slightly. "Yeah, so? I don't any more." 

"That's because you know the truth. But before, to you and hundreds of teen girls, I'm the hottest thing on this planet. Fantasy is one thing." Terry leaned back. "Reality is something entirely different. Just because I entered your life did not automatically mean I was interested in you, or that we would go out." He sighed. "Simon was the one I was attracted to. But you were nice, and I figured we could be friends. That eventually I could tell you, even if Simon decided he was straight." 

Lucy blinked. "Tell me? You mean after you strung me along for years?" 

"I would not 'string you along.' I would make it clear that it would be a platonic relationship. No ifs, ands, or buts. Being gay isn't exactly easy, you know. I've lost really great friends because they found out that I'm only slightly different, but to them that makes all the difference." He looked at Lucy. "I was hoping you would, having known me long enough, would understand that just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm a different person. I'm exactly the same guy with one minor difference, and in today's world, I'd think something like that would be rather unimportant." 

"Well what about the Bible, huh? It says homosexuality is wrong." Lucy nodded. 

Terry shook his head. "In the old school of thinking." He paused a moment, the chuckled. 

"What? You find this funny?" 

"No, but Simon and I had a very similar discussion when he was trying to understand how one could be religious and gay." 

Lucy frowned. "You can be?" 

"Yeah, actually, you can. Simon draws comfort from the Bible and God. If he thought God condemned gays, he wouldn't even be experimenting, no matter what his feelings. You and I both know that." 

Lucy looked at the floor, thinking. "I still don't like this." 

"Well, rather than seeing a movie, why don't we all go to my house and Simon and I can talk to you about it, maybe help you understand why he's trying this." 

Lucy looked at him. "I could just drive off and tell everyone." 

"Are you so upset that you'd destroy your brother's life?" 

Lucy shook her head. "No." 

Terry patted her shoulder. "Then why don't you follow Simon and I." Terry blinked. "Simon?" He looked around. "Oh no." 

Lucy looked around as well. "Where's Simon?" 

"I thought he followed me and was waiting outside the car." Terry dropped the keys in Lucy's hand and got out of the car, looking around. With no other clues, he headed for the shadow of the building again. 

Lucy looked at the keys. _He trusts me enough to give me the keys and leave._ She looked after Terry, watching him run for the spot he and Simon had kissed. Closing her hand around the keys, she got out and locked the door. _If Simon's not there, I should help find him. It's my fault. _She ran after the male model. 

Terry looked around in the shadow, before he spotted Simon leaning against the wall, hugging his knees. Terry knelt and looked at him. "Simon?" 

"My life's over. Lucy'll tell everyone, and they'll hate me." Simon shook his head. "I can't believe this. My own sister is going to tell the world. I won't even be able to show my face at school." 

Terry sighed and worked his arms around the blond teen. He scraped his knuckles a bit against the wall, but eventually he was able to pull him into a hug. Simon resisted a little, but in the end he just let Terry hug him. It was a bit of comfort. 

"Simon?" 

Simon flinched, not even looking towards his sister's voice. 

Terry glanced at Lucy, giving her a pleading look. 

Lucy nodded and knelt next to Terry. "Simon, look. Terry, he," she looked at Terry a moment, "he talked to me a bit. Why don't we do what he suggests, go to his house and discuss it." 

"Why? You'll still tell someone because you can't understand." 

Lucy thought for a moment. "Maybe I can't understand now, but if you can explain it, maybe I eventually will understand. And if you don't want me to tell anyone, I can do that." 

Simon let out a short laugh. "Sure." 

Terry squeezed Simon's shoulder. "Hey, she's making an effort, Simon. Give her the benefit of the doubt." 

"Why?" 

"Because she's your sister, and she loves you. Now come on, we can go to the movies any time. Let's go to my house and talk. Help her understand your feelings and fears." 

Simon sighed. A few minutes later, though, he pushed against the arms and started standing. 

Terry stood as well, helping him up. 

Lucy watched them, examining the look on Terry's face. _He truly does care. But...is this Simon?_

"Go ride with Lucy. You don't have to talk or anything, but I'd feel better if you two had a chance to talk alone." 

Simon nodded slightly, not even looking up from the ground. 

Lucy could see some tear stains on his cheeks, despite his lack of eye contact. She knew her brother. "Hey, come on, Simon. I am giving you a chance to explain. Matt would just go ballistic." 

Simon's shoulders slumped. 

Terry headed for the car, an arm around Simon's upper body. "Lucy?" 

Lucy looked up at Terry. "Yeah?" 

"I'm sorry. About the hand." 

Lucy looked at her wrist and noticed a small bruise forming. "I guess I had it coming. I wasn't going to listen the way I was going off." 

"I'll look at it when we get to my house." Terry let go of Simon and looked at Lucy. "I'm on the motorcycle, but then again, you know what it looks like. You did follow us, after all." 

Lucy's face flushed a bit and she unlocked the doors. "Yeah." 

Terry patted Simon's back. "I'll see you shortly Simon, okay?" 

"Yeah." Simon opened the door and got into the back seat, facing away from the driver's seat. 

Lucy climbed in while Terry headed for the bike. Starting the car, she stared at the wheel. _Say something._

"Lucy, what did he mean by he was sorry?" 

Lucy winced. "Well, I kinda wouldn't listen, and he grabbed my wrist to get my attention. He just bruised me a bit." 

"Oh." Simon looked at his hands. "He wouldn't normally hurt you, you know. He's really not violent. But, if you had told anybody..." 

Lucy buckled up and pulled out of her parking spot, noticing Terry's bike approaching. "I think I understand. He just did what he felt was necessary to protect you and your wishes." She followed the bike. "I'm sorry I followed you." 

Simon nodded. "I expected it to happen sooner or later. I am glad it was you rather than Matt or dad." 

"Yeah, that would've been a disaster." 

Simon closed his hand. "I'll have to tell them someday." 

"Well, are you sure you're gay?" She turned a corner, entering a residential area. "Dax said you were experimenting still." 

"I'm sure." Simon looked out the window, watching the lights go by. "It feels too right to be wrong. I mean, when I'm with him, I feel alive, myself. I don't have to hide or pretend, I can be who I am." He finally looked in the rearview mirror. "And for the first time in months, months, Lucy, I've felt like myself. Not Simon Camden the minister's son, not Virgin Camden, and not the Bank of Simon. With him, I'm Simon. Just Simon." 

Lucy pulled up to the house Terry did and parked the car, turning off the engine and turning around. "Have you told him?" 

Simon shook his head. "I'm not sure how. Besides, he said to take my time. To explore." 

Lucy nodded. "Alright." 

Terry knocked on the window. "You two coming?" 

Lucy blinked and waved. "In a minute." 

Terry headed for the front door, removing his helmet. 

Simon grabbed the door handle. 

Lucy reached out and touched his arm. "Simon, if this is truly you...I'll try and support you." 

Simon gave her a weak smile, the wiping off the tear stains on his cheeks with his hand. "Thanks." He got out. 

Lucy got out as well. _I'll try. No guarantees. _She entered the house. 

~*()*~ 

"So you'll read it and we can talk later?" 

Lucy nodded and put the book under her arm. She had no idea Simon had been reading it for over a week. _He must be really terrified of us._ "Yeah, no problem." 

Simon rubbed his arm, looking over another book, a Bible actually, reading some of its passages. He was lying on the couch, his back against the armrest and his knees bent, holding up the book. "Thanks, Luce." 

"Well, this'll take some time to get used to. I mean, the popular Simon is gay? There's going to be a riot at your high school if the girls find out." 

"Not through you, though." Terry looked at Lucy. "You understand you can't tell anyone. Not Mary, Matt, Ruthie, Eric, Annie, even a friend in another state." 

Lucy waved her hand. "Yeah, I got it. Don't worry." She stood there, looking the two teens over. "You really like each other, don't you." 

"I wouldn't be dating him if I didn't." Terry crossed his arms and sat by Simon's feet. Simon moved his legs up a bit, rebalancing the bible on his legs. He didn't say anything, but his face was beginning to turn red. 

Lucy thought a moment. "When the time comes, would you like my help telling mom and dad?" 

Simon stopped reading and looked up at Lucy. "Yeah. That, that would be nice. Thanks." 

Terry nodded. "It would be a big help to have one sibling backing us up." 

Lucy smiled and opened the front door. "Alright. I'll see you when you get home, Simon." 

Simon nodded and turned back to his reading. 

"Lucy?" 

Lucy paused and looked at Terry. "Yeah?" 

"Call me Terry." He smiled. 

Lucy smiled back, raising her shoulders a bit. "You can call me Luce, Terry." She left shutting the door. 

Simon looked over his knees at Terry. "You're letting her call you Terry?" 

"We're friends, and it's a more personal address of me." He rubbed Simon's leg. "I'm hoping to be on a Terry basis with your whole family one day." 

Simon frowned a bit. "I hope you can be too." 

Terry stretched and stood. "We need to get going, too. Your curfew will be hitting soon." 

Simon sighed. "I wish I could stay the night again." 

"Not this weekend. I've got to leave at five tomorrow morning for a special shooting." He nudged Simon's legs aside and leaned forward. "But before you get home, permit me to leave you with one more pleasant memory to tide you over until next week." 

Simon smiled a bit and leaned forward, initiating the kiss this time. _Next week. That's right, one week at a time. I can do this. I can do this as long as he's with me every step of the way._


	9. The Cat's Outta the Bag

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_by Cypher_

__Chapter Nine: The Cat's Outta the Bag 

After Lucy had discovered Terry and Simon's secret, the two siblings seemed to grow closer, Lucy often checking on Simon to see how he was doing, if he wanted to talk, stuff like that. The couple times Matt had caught the two talking in Simon's room, both had gone silent and just looked at him, watching him until he left. 

It was slightly disturbing to Matt, and though he wouldn't admit it, he felt jealous. Jealous that Simon, the little brother that had always confided in him, had always looked up and respected him, had gone to Lucy instead. What were they talking about that he couldn't know? He was the eldest brother, it was his duty to know everything. 

He talked to Ruthie a few times, trying to pry any information out of her that Simon and Lucy were denying him. As it turned out, though, she knew just as little as he did. That disturbed him. A secret that even Ruthie couldn't snoop around to find out? The only thing she had known that he didn't was the mentioning of Terry's name every now and then. 

_First Simon was keeping a secret with Terry, and now with Lucy. What's going on?_ _Perhaps I'm reading too much into this. Maybe they're preparing a surprise party for my graduation. And Simon went to Lucy because I won't be here next year, so he's testing out how good an advisor she is._ He paused a moment. _Naw. Lucy isn't the best person to confide in, much less seek advice from. _

When Mary returned home suddenly, Matt forgot about Lucy and Simon's secret meetings, as, it appeared, did they. In fact they united together to try and protest Annie's decision to give Mary the garage apartment. It backfired, of course. And within a couple days, they were back in the house, though Annie had calmed down and Mary apologized to everyone. 

Throughout the month of these meetings and Mary's return, Terry and Simon continued to go out under the guise of friends. Once or twice Terry and Lucy talked quietly before or after the date, but no one could pick up exactly what it was about. As things calmed down, Simon's mind began to wonder if this was the time to tell everyone. Terry had suggested it at the beginning of the month, and on their last date, had even straight out asked Simon if he had told them. 

Christmas was approaching and Simon wondered if he would be exchanging gifts with Terry. He was about to say something over their seafood dinner, when Terry looked him in the eyes. Simon met the stare, then looked away. He knew what was coming. 

"Simon, it's nearly Christmas, not to mention the new year. Are you sure you want to celebrate the holidays under such false pretenses?" 

Simon pushed his food around. "It's just...it's not easy, Terry. You saw how Lucy reacted. Mom and dad and Matt," he closed his eyes a moment, "I don't want to alienate them, Terry." 

Terry rested his arms on the table. "Would you rather alienate me? I really like you, Simon, but I can't keep lying to your family, especially one as big as yours. You're lucky no one but Lucy has found out yet, and do you really think that'll last?" 

"No." Simon sighed. "It's just...hard." 

"I know it's hard, Simon, but it's better you tell them rather than they find out." Terry reached out and patted Simon's hand. "Trust in them, and in the love they have for you. You did for Lucy and look how well it turned out." 

"Maybe..." Simon took a bite of his food. 

Terry closed his eyes and sat back, taking a deep breath. "Simon, I hate to do this, I really do, but if I don't my brother will." 

"Will what?" Simon looked at Terry. 

"Simon, I really like you, but I use a lot of energy during the week for all my normal activities, and that's why I have Friday's off. Lying to your family also takes a lot of energy, energy I would rather spend on something else. Jordon's noticed how tired I am because of it." 

"Terry..." Simon swallowed. _You can't leave me._

"Simon, just listen." Terry opened his eyes. 

Simon could see the pain behind them, as well as the weariness. _I've been causing this?_

"I was talking with Jordon, and he rarely interferes with my life, but in this case I'm not being given a choice. I can't keep up the lie to your family much longer. I like them too much." Terry looked at his plate. "Tell them...before the new year rolls in." 

Simon waited a moment. "Or he's going to make you break up with me." 

Terry nodded slightly. "Normally I'd kill him for forcing this on both you and I, but for once he's right. I have APs coming up next semester, and with everything else going on, I won't be able to keep up the facade." 

Simon tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling. "It...it's not going to be easy." 

Terry nodded slowly. "I know. If you want me to be there to help, I will be. Whatever you need, just ask. And Lucy promised to help." 

"What happens if they forbid me to see you again?" 

Terry picked up his glass of water and drank most of it. "It's up to you. I will tell you this, though." 

Simon looked over at his dinner companion. 

"If they make it very clear that it's between me and them, chose them." 

"What?" Simon sat up. "What do you me-" 

"Family is very important to you, Simon. I know how much they mean to you. You could never truly be happy with me if you were outcast from your family. Perhaps with me out of the picture, they'd realize that you are who you are, no matter what boy you're with." 

"Terry, I won't let them-" 

Terry hit his hand on the table. "I'm serious, Simon!" 

Simon jumped slightly. He could feel moisture gathering within his eyes, and see that Terry had water in his as well, though his eyes were hard. _He is serious, but, I don't know if I could live without him._ "Terry, I can't just-" 

"If it's between me and them, Simon, then you choose them." Terry swallowed, loud enough that Simon could hear. "You need them in your life." 

Simon looked at the table and noticed Terry's hand, the one he had hit the table with. _It's shaking. _Pausing a moment, he reached out and gripped Terry's hand, steadying it. "If it comes between you and them, I can't guarantee-" 

"I want you to promise me, Simon. I hate this as much as you, if not more so. But I know you, I know that you can't be truly happy without them." 

Simon frowned. "You know me?" He looked at Terry, his eyes reflecting green in the light. "I think I know myself better than you, Terry." He let go of the hand. "I'll make my own decision, alright? I think I know what will make me happy."  
Terry looked over Simon's scowling face. He didn't say anything for a few minutes, just stared. Then, suddenly, he looked away, examining his coat. "You're right. You know yourself better than I." He gathered up his coat, looking for his wallet. "I guess my concern for your happiness, your best interests, made me forget that you know yourself pretty well." He pulled out a couple twenties and looked at Simon, the hardness gone from his golden eyes, but the tears unshed far more prominent. "After all, I'm just trying to help you." 

"Terry," Simon grabbed Terry's arm, "stay." 

Terry paused, biting his lip. He glanced over at Simon. "I think I should head home." He took Simon's hand and gently placed it on the table. "I know you think you know yourself well, but I've seen the outcomes of these before. One friend I had committed suicide because he chose a guy over his family." 

Simon blinked. "He...did?" 

"You're like him in many ways, Simon. You need your family. It's so much a part of your life that without it, you can't survive. Your heart tells you to choose me, but if you do, you'll regret it." Terry put on his coat. "I'm here for you, I'll be there when you tell them, I'll support you in any way. But I won't let you kill yourself emotionally." 

Simon rummaged and searched for his own coat. He paused when he felt Terry place a hand on his shoulder. 

"Stay and think. We're not far from your house." He paused, then leaned down and kissed Simon's forehead. "Call me when you've decided to tell them. You shouldn't have to face it alone." Terry stepped back and headed for the door of the restaurant. 

Simon sat there, debating between running after Terry and doing as he asked. Glancing out the window, he saw storm clouds gathering, and Terry had already melted into the darkness. Facing his cooling meal, he thought over what Terry had said. True, his family meant a lot to him, but sacrifice his relationship to Terry for them? He wasn't sure he could do that. 

_But are you so sure he's wrong? _Part of his mind asked him. _He's been right about you for a lot of things. What if he's right again, that you can't live without your family?_

_I'm not sure I can live without Terry, either._ Simon felt a sickness in his stomach, and not from the food. _I haven't told him how much he means to me, he doesn't know my true feelings._

_Neither does your family. Is it fair to leave them out? _

_No, but I don't know what they'll think, or how they'll react._ Simon held his head in his hands, shaking his head slowly as the internal argument went on. 

_How about how Terry will, then? You know what he's thinking and his reactions. He wants you to tell. Hiding it is doing damage to both of you. Do you want to lose him because you're too cowardly to face your family? They'll find out sooner or later. Why not sooner, when you can still have him?_

__Simon blinked, a tear sliding down his face. _Because I'm afraid. I'm afraid._

_Of what? Their reactions?_

_No...that I won't be able to choose._ Simon took a napkin and wiped his nose. _I love them both. I need them both._

_So tell them, and maybe you can have both. Stop hiding behind lies and fears. Be a man, Simon Camden._

Simon blinked. _Be...a man?_ He sat up slightly. _A man. A man wouldn't hide his true feelings._

_So grow up. Go home and tell them. Now, this instant. Show not only them, but Terry, that you're a man._

Simon nodded, grabbing another napkin and wiping his tears away. "I will. I'll tell them tonight." 

Outside, the dull roar of thunder flew through the sky, and the downpour began. 

~*()*~ 

"Aniki! Where's my Day of Second Impact CD?" 

Jordon stuck his head out of his bedroom. "Beats me." He blinked, then headed down towards his brother's room. "Did something happen? You usually listen to that when you're painting or when you're upset." Jordon glanced out at the living room. "Since the coffee table is clear, I'm guessing you're upset." 

"That's why you're a genius, aniki." Terry let out a frustrated yell and plopped down on his bed. "It's not here!" 

Jordon stepped over the wet shoes Terry had placed by the door and carefully looked through the CD collection. Without saying a word, he reached in and pulled out the CD Terry was looking for. He placed it in Terry's lap before sitting next to him. "What's wrong? Did you and Simon have a fight?" 

Terry looked away. 

Jordon sighed. "He didn't like your suggestion of choosing the family over him." 

"Sometimes I wish you didn't know me like you do." Terry stood and went to his desk, picking up a CD player. 

"I told you not to push it. We've seen the outcomes, he hasn't. He can't understand your concern if he chooses wrong." 

Terry placed the CD in, but remained standing by his desk, staring at his reflection in the glass surface. 

Jordon got up and hugged his brother. "If he truly has feelings for you, he'll understand why you made the request and forgive you." 

"What if he doesn't understand why? What if I've pushed him away?" Terry looked at the back of the CD case. "What if I've lost him?" 

Jordon barely caught the last question, it was spoken so softly. He rubbed Terry's shoulders. He knew saying anything more wouldn't help. Terry had to forgive himself on his own. Still, there were ways of speeding up the process. "You know, we haven't watched Slayers in a while. Why don't we go out to the living room and watch the movie?" 

Terry shook his head. "Thanks, but I really don't feel like it." 

Jordon pursed his lips. "No movie?" 

Terry shook his head again. 

_Damn. This really has him down._ "Alright." He squeezed Terry's shoulder reassuringly. "I'll be in my room if you need me." 

"Thanks." Terry put his earphones in his ears and headed for the living room, carrying the CD player in one hand, and picking up a book at the edge of his headboard as he walked by. 

Jordon shook his head when he saw what book he had taken. _The Bible. May it bring him better comfort than I could give.  
_~*()*~ 

Simon glanced around the room. Robbie was sitting next to Ruthie on the couch, which also held Lucy with a questioning look. _I have to do this on my own._ Matt and Mary were sharing the living room chair. That is, Matt was sitting in it, and Mary was forced to sit on the armrest. And to his left, his parents, Eric and Annie, were sitting on the other couch, staring at him. Inside, he could feel his heart pounding, like it was trying to escape his chest. His stomach wasn't fairing much better. As soon as his family had entered, it had begun doing back flips, trying to make him sick. _Not this time. I'm not running away, I'm not backing down. I'm a man. I won't hide any more._

"Well? What's so important, Simon?" Matt crossed his arms. "It is getting late." 

Simon glanced at the clock. _Ten. _He swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep breath. "Well, um, you know that I was acting really...well, moody, upset, stuff like that. I...I've decided it's time you knew why." 

Eric glanced at Annie a moment. Lucy had gone pale, and even looked a little sick as well. She shook her head slightly, trying to stop Simon. Matt leaned forward. 

Robbie waited a moment. "Well? Don't just go silent." 

"Um, well, I was having some trouble on deciding what...who I was. Then I met Terry, and well, he really helped me understand." 

"Understand what?" Eric tilted his head. "Why couldn't you come to one of us?" 

"Because you guys wouldn't understand. None of you." 

Something clicked in Robbie's head, a conversation he had had with Simon shortly after the teen had met Terry. _No way. He couldn't be..._ Glancing over at Lucy, however, he had the feeling that his hunch was right, and that Lucy knew. 

"So what is it you didn't understand?" Annie held her husband's hand. "You are Simon Camden." 

"But that's just it, I wasn't Simon Camden. I was 'Virgin Camden' or 'The Minister's Son' and never JUST Simon. And because of those, I always did what everyone wanted me to do. Sure, I got an ear ring, and yeah, I'm not as perfect as Matt was." 

Matt raised his eyebrows. "I wasn't perfect, Simon." 

"But you were in the eyes of a lot of people, what you did and who you are. I kept trying to be like you. Get good grades, date lots of girls, be a good brother." He sighed, looking at his parents and gave them a weak smile. "I'm sorry, but I'm not the kid you think I am. I still try to be a good brother, and get good grades. I'm not Matt, though. And...and it's time I stopped trying to be like him." He took another deep breath. 

"What's this got to do with Dax?" Mary ran a hand through her hair. "What did he help you understand?" 

"That I'm still the same Simon, but I also have to be true to myself. Terry helped me understand that I don't have to follow what society says, that I should follow my heart." He looked at Lucy. 

_Simon, don't do it. Not without him._ Lucy shook her head again, trying to discourage him. In her gut, though, she knew there was no stopping her brother. 

"He helped me look at who I was, help me accept it." 

"So who are you?" Ruthie looked at Simon, curious to finally learn the big secret. 

"I'm Simon Camden. And...well...I like guys." 

The room remained silent, all Camdens with their eyes on Simon. 

"Could you say that again?" Eric asked, very slowly. 

Simon felt his nervousness return again. _I'm really glad the twins are in bed._ "I'm gay, dad. And...I think I'm in love with Terry." 

Matt felt a surge of anger, but suppressed it for now, glancing at his mother and father instead. He could feel the anger rise within them. They were going to go off. He tapped Mary's arm, then stood and nodded at Robbie. 

Robbie got the message and nudged Ruthie, who remained silent for once and left. Mary hurried up the stairs, Ruthie at her heals, but Robbie and Matt met at the door, glancing back at Lucy, who had yet to move. 

"Lucy, go with Matt." Annie kept her eyes on Simon, who shifted nervously from foot to foot. 

Lucy stared at Simon a moment before slowly standing and going up.   
Simon watched the rest of his siblings leave, Matt closing the door as they left. _Now,_ he slowly faced his parents, _the hard part.  
_~*()*~ 

"You knew, didn't you." 

Robbie had cornered Lucy in Simon's room. He had closed and locked the door behind him. 

Lucy nodded slowly, not meeting Robbie's face. "I...followed him and Terry one night, and saw them...kissing." 

Robbie rubbed a hand over his face. "Geeze, just what we need." He sat next to Lucy. "Why didn't you tell somebody?" 

"Because they asked me not to." Lucy looked at Robbie. "Terry gave me the chance to go off and tell the world. I chose to trust him. Simon, though, I couldn't do that to Simon. And I saw the way they looked at each other. I think they really is love between them." 

"But the Bible-" 

"There's more than one interpretation to the Bible, Robbie. Do you think this was easy for me to accept? I'm going to be a minister! I nearly throttled Terry when I saw them!" She calmed herself down. "This is Simon, Robbie. I won't abandon him, and I won't let him be thrown out of this family." 

"I think that's up to your parents." 

"I'm over eighteen. If I want to keep in contact with my brother, I will." Lucy frowned and looked at the door. "I shouldn't have left. He shouldn't have told them yet. Idiot. Terry told me we would tell you guys together. Simon needs support." 

Robbie rubbed the back of his neck. "I should've figured it out." 

"What do you mean?" 

"His moods, how he hung out with Terry, Dax, whatever his name is." He looked at Lucy. "You know he asked me for advise about a 'gay' friend. I bet he really meant himself." 

"He wanted to keep us all in the dark." She heard a thump down the hall. "Think we should check on Matt?" 

"Not if we're smart." 

"Who ever said we were. Simon's going to need all the support we can muster." She looked at Robbie. "Do you support his decision?" 

Robbie thought for a moment, rubbing his chin. "It is disgusting to me. On the other hand," he glanced at the door, "Simon is Simon. He's the same as he's always been. We just...know the truth. If he keeps his business to himself, I think I'm okay with it." 

Lucy nodded. "Now we just need to get the rest of the family on the bandwagon." 

"That's going to be hard."  
~*()*~ 

Matt glared the Hello Kitty doll. "The next time I see him, I'm gonna wring his scrawny little neck." 

Mary was sitting on Robbie's bed. "You think you know someone..." 

Ruthie looked between her two older siblings. She wasn't sure what to think. True, she didn't really like the thought of Simon being gay, but was Terry behind it, or was Simon truly gay, and if he was, then what? 

"I can't believe he seduced Simon and made him think he was...was..." 

"You can't even say it?" Ruthie raised an eyebrow. 

"Because it's not true! He isn't gay! We went out cruising for girls not too long ago!" 

"Maybe he's just going through the equivalent of what I did." Mary looked at Ruthie and Matt. "He's just doing it earlier." 

"No," Matt shook his head. "No, this is that...that...Dax kid's fault. We keep him away from Simon and he'll be back to normal." 

Ruthie thought about this a moment. "Wasn't he moody and such before he met Dax? What if this is how he would've turned out, we just found out sooner than normal." 

"Because he's not gay! How many times do I have to say it?" 

Mary looked out the window and saw a bolt of lightning strike the ground. _Lord help us._

~*()*~ 

Of his family, only Happy had failed to escape. Simon had taken a seat across from his parents, and while they hadn't yelled at him yet, he could see the wheels in their minds turn as they processed what he had said and were debating on what to respond with. Glancing at his feet, Happy glanced back up. _At least you haven't deserted me._ He stroked the creature, trying to get some comfort. He felt as if a great burden had been lifted, but he also felt a new weight take its place. 

"You are not gay." 

"Dad, I know-" 

"You're not gay!" Eric glared at his son. "You're not old enough to make that kind of decision, and that is one thing you will not be in this household!" 

"Terry knew when he was seven. It's not a choice, dad. It's how we're born." 

"You really believe that? I can't believe it. That-that-" 

"Dax." 

"He did this to you! As of this moment you're not to ever see him again!" 

Simon felt something twist inside his chest. He looked to his mother, who was looking at the couch. "Mom..." 

"Don't bring her into this! Isn't it enough you've upset her!" 

Simon ignored his dad and kept staring at Annie. "Mom?" 

"I can't believe this. Did you not here me? I said leave her alone!" Eric stood between his wife and his son. "Now get up to your room!" Eric pointed. "I can't believe you'd hurt the family this way! Didn't you learn anything from the Bible? From me?" 

Simon stood. _Hurt the family? How I hurt the family?_ Something snapped in him, just for a moment. "How I hurt the family, dad? How about how you're hurting me, huh? You always said you kept an open mind and would always support us in our choices! Where's that support, dad? Where's your open mindedness now? Do you think this is easy for me? Do you think I just woke up and said, 'hey, I'll be gay from now on?' NO! This has been really difficult!" He felt tears slide down his cheeks, but he didn't care. "I didn't want to tell you, but Terry said I should, because you're my family and you have a right to know and to trust in your love!" He heaved a bit. "Apparently you don't love me enough to accept the real me! All you want is Virgin Camden or the Minister's Son! I'm not him! And...and I'm not going to live a lie all my life because YOU'RE uncomfortable with the truth!"  
"ROOM! NOW!" Eric stepped up to the blond youth, pointing towards the stares and looking into his eyes. 

Simon met that look, glaring back with both pain and a fire. He calmed himself a bit, trying to collect his thoughts. His throat hurt a bit from yelling, but decided to try speaking softly. "God can accept who I am. If you're a man of God, why can't you?" 

Eric's eyes widened, both in anger and surprise. 

"GET OUT!" 

Eric and Simon jumped at the shrill voice that emanated from the couch. Simon took a step towards the door, fear overtaking him as he took in his mother's face. 

"No son of mine is gay, and until you realize that you're not, you're not part of this family! Now GET OUT!" Annie stormed towards Simon. 

Simon decided not to wait another minute and hurried out of the room. He opened the front door and glanced at the storm outside. He thought about getting his jacket, but the raging woman glaring at him made him decide otherwise and he ran out. 

~*()*~ 

Standing on the porch of Terry and Jordon's home was a shivering figure. His hair had been matted to his head, and his features were hidden by the darkness. _A real man doesn't cry. But...I can't help it. I'm a man...and it cost me my family._ Swallowing a sob, he pushed the small button by the door. _Please, please understand me. I can't loose both tonight._

Terry looked up from the kitchen table as he heard the doorbell. Pulling off his headphones, he glanced at the clock. _Who would be calling on us when it's nearly midnight?_ Frowning, he marked his place in Dune and went to the front door. He heard his brother coming down the hall, just as surprised. Glancing back, both brothers braced themselves as Terry opened the door. 

Simon slowly looked up, tears streaming down his face. "I...I..." 

Terry's eyes widened. _He told._

Jordon was by Simon's side with a large towel and was wrapping him in it before Terry could ask for his help. He brought the teenage Camden in and led him towards the bathroom. "Let's get those clothes off of you. You need to get into something dry. A change of clothes or something. Terry, grab his bag." 

"He doesn't have one." Terry was still staring out the door. He didn't even have to look, he knew what had happened just by the look in Simon's gray eyes. 

Jordon snapped his fingers. "Yo! Ototou! Close the door and help me!" 

Terry shook his head and shut the door, making sure to lock it, before heading over to the bathroom. Simon was still shivering, so Terry left a second to turn on the heater. Simon remained silent as both brothers removed the wet clothing and wrapped him in warm towels. Jordon left to get some extra sweats for the boy. 

That's when Simon couldn't take it any more and began sobbing, clutching onto the nearest thing: Terry. 

Terry brought his arms up and hugged Simon, guiding him to the floor as Simon's legs gave out. Petting Simon's hair, he rocked the boy he loved, making soothing noises with his throat. 

Jordon paused when he saw them, and decided to leave the sweats outside the door, leaving the two alone. 

Outside, the thunder cracked once again, letting the world know that it was far from over. 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~  
~*()*~ 

Aniki: older brother 

Ototou: younger brother 

The CD Terry was looking for DOES exist. It is known as "Evangelion: The Day of Second Impact." It's a collection of orchestral pieces with music from the Neon Genesis Evangelion series. The movie was Slayers: The Motion Picture. Not the most serious of movies, but a hoot to watch, and always great to cheer you up. Also, Dune is another great book to read. I would like to comment that I own none of them, nor do I own 7th Heaven (I do own Terry and Jordon though). I don't know when chapter ten will come out, but I hope to do it before I leave for my vacation. 


	10. Scratches

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

Chapter Ten: Scratches

_"Get out! You're no longer part of this family!"  
"I can't believe you're my brother! No, you're not my brother! My brother isn't like you!"_

_"I don't believe you. You're not gay."_

_"Go away, Simon. I don't want help from someone like you."_

_"You're to never see Terry again!"_

Simon curled up in the darkness, trying to block the voices of his family from his mind. He couldn't though, no matter where he looked, he could see their angry faces, hear their words. _"Stop it! I'm still Simon! Why can't you accept me? What's so wrong with being who I am?"_

_"Get out!"_

Simon winced and curled up further, closing his eyes, though he could still see his mother's furious face. _"Don't you still love me?"_

~*()*~

"Is he asleep?"

Terry nodded, yawning himself. He glanced back at the guest bed, where the blond Camden was curled up, his brows furrowed. 

"You should get some yourself." Jordon pulled the door closed.

"M'not tired." Terry rubbed his eyes. "M'fine."

"Those dark circles speak otherwise."

Terry blinked slowly and felt under his eyes. "Oh...damn." He blinked slowly, then closed his eyes.

Jordon tapped his brother's shoulder. "Terry."

Terry jumped slightly. "Hai, hai. I'm awake. Awake...just...thinking."

"Bed time, ototou." Jordon took Terry's arm and headed for the model's bedroom. "I stay awake till four all the time. You usually get up by now." He set his sibling on the bed and pushed him down. "Now sleep."

"Mm...check on Simon." Terry hugged his pillow and closed his eyes. 

Jordon nodded. "Of course." He pulled the covers up around Terry and brushed the hair out of his face. _This is going to be hell. Maybe I shouldn't have forced my views on them. But Terry can't lie forever. He's horrible at it._ He walked out and closed the door. He placed his arms behind his back and leaned on the wall, thinking things over. _I'd better cancel Terry's plans._ He rubbed his forehead. _There goes my classes and work, too. _He looked up. "This is revenge for sleeping through your services, isn't it."

Thunder rumbled outside.

"Figures." Jordon headed for the living room.

~*()*~

"They threw Simon out in this weather? Are they nuts?" Lucy looked out the window, hoping to see Simon standing in the yard. 

"They aren't exactly in the calmest state of mind." Robbie looked fiddled with a Rubix cube. "Mrs. Camden is...well, I've never seen her like this. Your father isn't much better, either."

Lucy let out a frustrated sigh and plopped on the bed next to Robbie. "Terry said to wait for him, so all three of us could explain, so he would have support. What on Earth gave him the idea to pull something as stupid as that?"

Robbie shrugged. "I don't know."

A knock resounded off the door, then was opened before a response could be given by either occupant. Matt looked at Robbie and Lucy. He glanced around. "Why're you hanging out in Simon's room?"

"We can't sleep, and we didn't want to disturb anyone." Lucy picked up Simon's watch. "It's nearly six. I hope he's okay."

Matt walked in and shut the door quietly, eyeing the two, before setting his eyes on Lucy. "You two are okay with this?" He crossed his arms.

Robbie looked at Matt and shrugged, before looking back down at the Rubix cube. "Pretty much. He's still the same Simon."

Lucy nodded. "I mean, there are other interpretations of the Bible that accept homosexuality. And Simon's happy. Who're we to judge what makes him happy?"

"The people who are supposed to be looking out for him." Matt let his arms fall. "I can't believe this. Our brother has been...brainwashed or something, and all you can do so go with it?"

"He wasn't brainwashed. This is who he is." Lucy set the watch back down and faced Matt. "Terry has been kind and honest and helped Simon through one of the most difficult revelations a person can go through. This is Simon, and I've accepted it."

Matt frowned. "Terry? How come you get to call him Terry? And this can't be your answer."

Lucy stood and stepped up to Matt. "Matt, I...knew before he told."

"What!?"

"I caught Simon and Terry kissing a while ago. I reacted as bad as you at first, but then I talked to them, watched them. Simon truly has feelings for him, and vice versa with Terry. They helped me understand their feelings, and I'm not going to just disregard my brother. He's family, and he's not a child."

"This is great. Terry got to you too."

"That's Dax to you."

Matt blinked. "What?"

"Well, I can call him Terry cause he gave me permission. But you and the family can only call him Dax still."

"Right now I'd rather call him something else. I'm just not allowed to say it in this house."

Robbie gave up and placed the toy down. "Matt, forget Dax a moment and think about Simon. Your little brother just revealed a painful secret and was thrown out and abandoned by his family because of it." Robbie looked out the window. "In this weather, too. Shouldn't you be more worried about his health more than what you're going to do to Dax?"

"Yeah, don't you care that Simon could be dead or injured? Don't you care about our brother?"

Matt shook his head and opened the door. "I can't believe this." He left the room.

Lucy looked at Robbie. "We need him on our side. Simon needs his support."

"He'll come around eventually. It just takes time."

After walking back and forth in the hall a few times, Matt finally grabbed his coat and headed downstairs into the kitchen, and slipped silently out of the front door.   
~*()*~

Jordon groaned as the doorbell rang. He had made all the necessary phone calls and fallen asleep on the couch. Stretching, he headed for the front door and opened it. It took him a few minutes to focus on the brown haired young adult standing there. "What do you want at this God awful hour of the morning."

Matt frowned. _Why did dad ever let Simon hang out with this guy?_ "I'm Matt Camden. I'm here for Simon."

Jordon scratched his head again. "He's not here." He yawned and leaned on the door. "If that's why you got me up, I'm gonna throttle you."

"Where's Dax?" Matt tried to push past the cranky college student.

Jordon pushed him back. "He left for a photo shoot already. Now scram before I go get my boken and unleash three years of sword fighting on you."

Matt debated trying to push by again, but as he looked over his opposition, he had a feeling the person would carry through on his threat. "If you see him, tell him to come home, okay?"

Jordon grunted and slammed the door. 

Matt headed back out into the rain, grumbling. _Simon, where are you? And why did that guy seem familiar?_

Jordon collapsed back on the couch. _Sleep...sleep..._

"Aniki?"

Jordon groaned and opened his eyes to slits. He saw Terry standing at the hall door, rubbing his eyes. _At least he got sleep. _"Nani?"

"Who was at the door?"

"Matt Camden. Looking for Simon. I told him he wasn't here."

Terry sighed. "Thanks. Get some sleep."

"I intend to." Jordon curled up on the couch and promptly zonked out.

Terry looked at the front door, ignoring the slight noise coming from his brother. _Matt's out looking for Simon. But has he accepted him? Or...is he just worried about his safety?_ Shaking his head, he headed for the guest room. _I have to see them. I have to convince them to accept him._   
~*()*~

"Where were you?" Eric took off his reading glasses as a drenched Matt entered the kitchen. 

Matt took off his jacket and placed it over the sink, trying to wring the water out. "I just felt like a walk."

"For two hours in pouring rain?" Eric sipped some coffee and eyed Matt. 

Matt shrugged. 

Eric and Matt looked at each other a few moments before Eric finally broke the silence. "Did you find him?"

Matt shook his head. "Nowhere. I don't get it. He's not even at the church or chapel at the hospital. It's like he vanished."

"You looked at...that place?"

"If you mean Dax's house, yeah. Said he's not there."

Eric hummed in response.

"What, you think they'd lie? I don't think that guy could lie if he wanted to. He was way too out of it."

"Maybe. Maybe not." 

Matt sat across from his father, his coat hanging from his hand. "Dad, what are we going to do? Simon's going to come home, and I have this feeling-"

"That he'll be the same, I know." Eric set his coffee down and rested his head on his hand. "I've heard there are...clinics that help with this sort of thing."

"I wouldn't feel comfortable sending Simon to one of those, even if it meant making him normal again."

"I know, but still..."

"You can't be serious." Lucy stood at the foot of the stairs, her hands on her hips. "You want to brainwash Simon to conform to what you think he should be? How twisted is that?" Lucy glanced back up as Robbie descended. "You ready?"

Robbie nodded and held up his keys. "Let's go."

"If you're looking for Simon, forget it. I've already looked." 

Lucy and Robbie blinked. 

"You?" Robbie crossed his arms. "I thought you hated him now." 

"He's still my brother, alright? I was worried."

"Well, considering you're part of the problem, I don't think he'd want to be found by you." Lucy headed for the door. "Maybe he'll talk to me. He at least knows I'll back him up."

"Just because you've known longer than us." Matt got up and headed for the stairs.

Eric looked at Lucy. "You've known?"

Lucy looked at Robbie, then stepped forward. "Well, I found out about a month ago. I was kinda like you at first, but Terry and Simon talked to me, helped me understand that this was Simon, not some trick."

"And you want to be a minister." Eric shook his head. "I can't believe you believed them."

"And I can't believe how you're treating Simon. I just hope you're prepared to live with the fact that you may never see him again. Come on, Robbie."

Robbie shrugged at Eric. "Sorry, Reverend Camden. I've got to go with Lucy on this one." He followed Lucy out the door.  
Eric sat there, thinking about what they had said. _Can I truly live without ever seeing my son again?_

~*()*~

_"Why don't you give in to them? Why bother suffering for him?"_

Simon shuddered and looked up. Standing before him was himself, only, only it seemed different. _"Who are you?"_

_"I'm you. Idiot. How can you trade your family for him?"_

Simon sat up. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he knew this was a dream. _"Because...because I have feelings for him. I can't go on pretending I'm a miniature Matt or someone who likes girls. I have to be myself."_

_"Be yourself." _The shadow of Simon snorted. _"Look at what that's gotten you. Exiled from your family, a whimpering, crying baby who has to run to someone who probably doesn't care for you as much as you think."_

_"Shut up! He does! He's not going to dump me or hurt me!"_

_"How do you know? Because he said so? Didn't all those others dump you? At least then you had the support of your family. Now you've got nothing."_

Simon looked away. _"They'll understand. Lucy did, and she'll help mom and dad and everyone understand. This is me."_

_"What a wuss. You couldn't even stand up to your parents. Some man you are."_

Simon closed his eyes again. _"Go away. You're not real."_

_"I'm as real as you are. You're going to have to face me. Over and over. And not just in your head, everywhere because everyone'll sound just like me. So go ahead, ignore me for now. I'll be back to haunt you until the day you die."_

Simon squinched his eyes shut tighter. _"Go away!"_ Silence was Simon's response. He shuddered and began crying. _"Terry...help me. Please..."_

~*()*~

"No one would answer the door at his house." Lucy paced in Robbie's room, thinking. "Either no one was home, or they have Simon and they don't want us to know of it."

"Matt said the older brother was pretty out of it. Maybe he finally went to school."

Lucy shook her head. "No, Simon's there. We just need to get them to allow us to see him."

Robbie glanced out the window. "Well, here's your chance."

Lucy looked over at Robbie, her brow furrowed. "Huh?"

Robbie pointed out the window. "Looks like Dax is here."

"What?!" Lucy hurried over to the window. Indeed, Terry was down there and about to ring the bell. "Oh no." She ran from her room towards the stairs just as the doorbell rang. _Please oh please let me be the first one there!_

Unfortunately, her silent prayer was unheeded as Matt opened the door. His face darkened immediately when he saw who was on the other side. "You!" 

Terry glared right back at Matt. 

Lucy, with Robbie right behind her, stood at the foot of the stairs. _Damn it!_ She looked at Robbie, inclining her head to indicate he should do something.

Robbie shrugged back, unsure of what he could do.

Matt grabbed Terry by the front of his jacket. "You dare to come here after what you did to Simon?"

By this time, Annie and Eric had arrived, followed shortly by Mary and Ruthie. 

Terry grabbed Matt's wrist and twisted it, sharply. "I could say the same to you, after what you did to him."

Matt yelled and pulled his wrist away, holding it. He shook slightly, his anger slowly getting the better of him.

This time Lucy shoved Robbie down the last step. 

Robbie stumbled a moment before grabbing Matt's shoulder. "Back down, man. It's no use starting a fight."

"Shut up. You're with this...this...abomination."

"Is that how you see your brother?" Terry stepped inside and pushed Matt back. "He's an abomination because he listened to his heart rather than what you tell him to be?"

"You made him that way!" Matt focused all his attention on Terry, his brown eyes blazing. "You corrupted him. You little-"

"Matt!" Eric glanced at the top of the stairs, where the twins had just appeared. "Ruthie, take your brothers upstairs and stay there."

Ruthie headed to the stairs, eyeing Terry. Shaking her head, she hurried up and brought the twins away.

Annie crossed her arms, a look of pure disgust on her face. "What do you want? Come to destroy this family even more?"

"Well, excuse me. This family always seemed more loving and coherent than that. I guess all that friendliness and open-mindedness is just a front to keep the churchgoers happy." Terry looked over at Robbie, then at Lucy in askance.

Lucy nodded.

Terry looked back at Annie. "I can't believe you. You're the lowest people on the face of this planet."

"Us?" Eric stepped forward. "What about you? You stand for everything that God condemns!"

"Oh, so you've met God and he told you personally that homosexuality is wrong?"

"His word says it!"

"There is more than one interpretation of His word, you know, unless you've declared yourself God and your interpretation is the only one!"

Eric tensed up at that.

"Of course, if you're going by the literal word, then I expect to see all of you with long hair, owning slaves, and bruises on your wife!" Terry glanced at Mary, trying to gauge her reaction to all of this. 

"Simon is not gay!"

"Wake up!" Terry focused his attention on Matt again. "Are you people blind? He's told you he's gay! He's explored it for over a month!"

Annie shook her head. "No he's not! You made him that way! You twisted his world!"

"I twisted him? What about what you people have done to him! He's been trapped in a world where he's expected to be perfect, model himself after his older brother, and be the most religious teen in the world! It was hurting him! All I did was help him realize who HE was! I didn't twist him! He was already thinking about it when I met him!"

Lucy decided to finally take a stand in Simon's defense. She stepped down the stairs and pushed around Matt, standing next to Terry, who was catching his breath. "Mom, dad, I've talked to Simon. I've seen the way he looks at Terry. It's him, it's who he is. He's just been putting off telling you because he was afraid of your reaction. And last night you justified his fears, sending him out into the storm without listening to him, without hearing him out. He could be hurt, or even gotten killed."

Terry looked Eric and Annie in the eyes. "Do you know how many kids his age commit suicide because they're so confused about who they are? Do you know how many turn to drugs or alcohol or cutting? Do you know how many run away?" Terry took a deep breath, speaking more softly than before. "Simon is susceptible to all of those, especially because of the pressure you and the community puts on him. And even if he did survive, he might've left at eighteen, to never return because he was afraid of your reaction to the truth, to who he was."

"That's still no-"

"Shut up!" Terry took a step forward. "Shut up and listen for once in your short life! This is not some stranger or some friend from church! This is your son! The son you're going to lose one way or another unless you open yourself to the truth!"

Annie took a step back from the fierce intensity of Terry's golden eyes.

When Terry was sure he wouldn't be interrupted again, he continued. "I love Simon. I told him to tell you because you deserve to share in his happiness, our happiness. You had a right to know the truth, and I know how much you all mean to him. But what you did goes against everything good a person can do, goes against everything you've taught your children." He moved his gaze over to Eric. "I love him, and if you ever hurt him this badly again, so help me God, you'll regret it."

"You're threatening us?"

Terry spun around and stepped towards Matt. "Yes, I am. And do you know why? Because I was up till three am holding the boy I love, listening to what you did to him, listening to how you hurt him and ripped his soul apart. Because no one deserves to be tormented the way you've tormented him. And because I love him, and nothing and no one is going to hurt him as long as I'm around." He stepped towards the open door.

Mary, who had remained silent the entire time, finally spoke up. "When is Simon coming home?"

Terry paused, staring out at the darkened sky. His shoulders slumped, and he let out a breath through his nose. "Maybe tomorrow, maybe never. Until you people overcome your petty biases, I'm not letting you get near him. You'll just hurt him more, and I won't let that happen." He looked over his shoulder. "For his sake, and for yours, I hope you come to accept him. There's only so much I can provide for him. He still needs you." With that, Terry stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

No one inside moved or said anything for a few minutes. 

Lucy finally broke the silence. "Terry's right. You need to get over your petty biases. For once I'm truly ashamed of being a Camden." She went up the stairs.

Robbie patted Matt's back. "I'm not family, but just remember Simon's still Simon. We just know something about him we didn't before." He followed Lucy.

Matt, still cradling his wrist, headed for the kitchen. "I'm going to get some ice."

"I'll help." Mary went after him.

Annie and Eric were the last two left in the entry way, staring at the door. Finally, Eric turned and went into his office. Annie went in after him and closed the doors. "He can't keep Simon away."

"Of course he can't. Simon's a minor." Eric sat behind his desk and rubbed his head. "But we kicked him out. Maybe he has some ground we don't know of."

Annie sat across from her husband. She stared at her hands, rubbing them a moment. 

Eric took a deep breath. "Annie, maybe...maybe we should listen to Dax. What if this is Simon? Can we live knowing we estranged our son without giving him a chance?"

"I can." Annie crossed her arms and looked away. 

Eric waited a moment. "Can you live with never seeing him again? I'm not sure I can."

Annie glanced at Eric, frowning. "So you're saying we should let Simon be gay? Go against everything we stand for?"

"For now, yes. Maybe we can figure out how to make him normal again." Eric rubbed his wrist. _Dax did have a point, too. My interpretation isn't the only one. But...an interpretation that supports homosexuality?_

In the kitchen, Matt wrapped the towel of ice around his wrist. "How'd he do that? He's not that big."

"Simon's lanky and he's strong." Mary set a glass of water in front of Matt. "Maybe he took martial arts or something."

"Great." Matt felt his wrist. 

"Is it broken?"  
"No, just sprained." Matt sighed and sat at the counter. "I can't believe he'd have the gall to come over here and say those things."

"Maybe. Maybe he was perfectly justified in coming here."

Matt looked at his sister, his eyebrows knitted together. "How? I mean, he caused all these problems. He made Simon gay."

"Maybe, or maybe Simon was going to be gay anyway. I don't know about it, but think of Simon's history. It certainly isn't as far out as we're making it seem."

"So now you're with Lucy and Robbie. Great." Matt shook his head.

"I'm just saying we should keep our minds open. Maybe this is Simon, and maybe instead of throwing him out we should've been there to support him."

Matt grumbled and sipped his water.

Mary stared at her brother a moment, then straightened up and set her arm down on the counter. "Think of it this way, Matt. If you wanted to marry, say, a Jewish girl-"

Matt snorted. "Like that'll happen."

"I'm just saying, wouldn't you want support from your family, not to be thrown out and estranged, finding the only solace with your lover?"

Matt thought about it a moment. "Being Jewish and being gay are two very different things."

"But revealing the truth would be just as painful either way." Mary looked outside as lightning flashed in the distance. 

Matt remained silent, fiddling with the ice in the towel slightly. "Point taken."

"So go and tell mom and dad."

"Tell them what?"

"That we want Simon back, and if it means accepting him as gay, it means accepting him as gay."

Matt sighed. "I don't know if I can do that."

"Why not? Simon's still your brother. You don't want to never see him again, do you?"

Matt nodded. "Fine, fine." He stood. "But if I'm telling them, I want to be speaking for all of the Camden kids."

"Well, Lucy and Robbie are on Dax's side. I just think Simon needs our support and should be here for it."

"And he's my brother, so I should be here to help." Matt rubbed the bridge of his nose a moment. "And Ruthie..."

"I think Dax's a neat guy and we should be glad it's him helping Simon and not some sleaze."

Mary and Matt looked at the stairwell. 

"How long have you been there?"

"Since Dax left. He had some good points, you know. And Robbie's right. Simon is still Simon. He revealed a secret because he wants our support. So let's support him."

Matt stood. "Fine, I'll tell mom and dad we want him back. As is, for now."

Mary nodded. 

"It's the right thing to do." Ruthie crossed her arms.

"Let's hope so. Otherwise all of us could be in big trouble." He headed for Eric's office. Once there, he hesitated. _Can I really do this? I mean, I don't agree. I don't think Simon's gay, and I don't know if I can live with him like that._ Flashes of what Terry had said, images of Simon cutting himself, doing drugs, killing himself, went through his mind. _No, I can't let that happen to Simon. Even if it means...I deal with that, I'll do it._ Raising a hand, he knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in."  
Matt opened the door and entered. _Even if it means facing the hardest fight of my life._

~*()*~

Simon whimpered. He was still curled up and naked in the darkness, surrounded by his family, and even by his taunting shadow. _"Why are you doing this? You're my family!"_

_"You're not family."_

_"We don't want to see you again."_

_"You hurt this family!"_

Simon's shadow crossed his arms. _"You're not a man. You're just a pathetic kid."_

Simon cried, shaking his head. _"No! I'm Simon Camden! They don't hate me! They can't!"_

_"They hate us, thanks to you." _The shadow looked the Camden family members. _"Face the truth."_

_"BEGONE! Halt this Torment!"_

Simon shuddered. He wasn't sure if he had screamed that, or his mind. The accusations from his family had died out, and he could no longer feel the glare of his shadow. Then, a hand reached out and touched his shoulder. He winced back, looking away. _"Please...leave me alone. Don't hurt me any more."_

The hand hesitated, then slowly embraced Simon. He yelped and tried to struggle, but the grip was too firm. He held his eyes shut, afraid of what he might see. Then he felt something warm wrap around him, something warm and soft, like feathers. _"Feathers?" _He opened his eyes, taking in the white wings that had encircled him. _"What...?" _He looked up to find Terry holding him, protecting him. _"Terry...you're...an angel?"_

_"I'm your angel, Simon. I'll always protect you, always be there when you're hurt, when you need me, and when you fall. Believe in your family, and don't listen to the fears in your mind. It'll come out alright. I promise."_

_"Terry..."_

_"Simon."_

~*()*~

Simon blinked slowly. He felt sunlight on his back and blinked slowly. He was against something warm and moving. It took him a few minutes, but he was able to focus on the form in front of him. _A...dream? It was all a dream?_ He felt a blanket around him, but also two arms. Following one arm up, he looked into the resting face of Terry. _What?_

"He's trying to protect your dreams."

Simon jumped slightly, startled at the voice from the door. Looking over Terry's chest, he saw Jordon leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. "Protect my dreams?"

"It's what I did for him when he was little. If he had a bad dream, I'd let him crawl into bed with me and hold him. It always seemed to help." Jordon walked over and pulled the blanket up around Terry as well. "You've been yelling and tossing for a while. Terry decided to try it, to see if he could comfort you."

Simon looked around. "How...how long have I been asleep?"  
"It's nearly six in the evening. That's alright. You had a hard night, and so did Terry."

Simon pushed himself up on his elbows. _Six?_ He glanced outside. _The sun's setting. _"I've...been here this long and my family hasn't come?"

__"I told your family you weren't here. I figured you needed rest more than anything else." Jordon ruffled Simon's hair. "Rest up a bit more. I've ordered dinner, but it won't be here for another hour or so. Stay with Terry for me, would you?" He winked at Simon and headed for the door. "I won't tell if you won't." He closed the door behind him.

Simon stared after Jordon a moment before he relaxed against the bed. His mind drifted towards the dream. _I've been dreaming all day._ He watched Terry's chest rise and fall. Hesitantly, he rested his head against it. _My angel, huh? I guess that's not so bad. _He closed his eyes. _Watch over me a little longer, please._

Terry's arms tightened in response, and Simon let himself drift into a light sleep.

~*()*~

~*()*~  
~*()*~

Hai: yes, okay

Ototou: little brother

Boken: wooden sword

Aniki: older brother

Nani: what

Author Notes: The title "Scratches" is a tribute to the old adage "When the cat's let out of the bag, someone gets scratched;" originally heard in the movie _Christmas in Connecticut_.

Author's Prattle: Yes, yes, I got out chapter 10 even on my vacation. Sorry to all those that were looking for a conclusion, but it was just too much to fit into one chapter. Chapter 11 will hopefully have the conclusion to whether or not the Camdens accept Terry and Simon, or whether they wash their hands of them (unless you read the spoiler, in which case you know the answer). I will say this, while chapter eleven is the conclusion of one aspect of the Camdens' lives in this fic, it is just the beginning, as I have many plans for my characters and the Camdens, including some explanations of how Terry chose to live in Glen Oak. So please keep reading and reviewing! I know reviewing can be a pain, but it actually helps inspire me to write, so please do so if you can, give me your opinions, what you liked, didn't like, what worked and what didn't. Even if you don't review, though, please enjoy!


	11. Reconciliation

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

__Chapter Eleven: Reconciliation 

"He wasn't at school again today." Matt hung up the phone and looked at his father, who was standing in the hall. "That makes three days. How long are you going to just leave this be? Ever since Saturday you and mom have done nothing about this. You can't just dismiss Simon." 

Eric sighed. "I know, but it's not something we can just accept, either. Do you know I've reread the bible five times in the last three days, and each time I try and find some sort of...of acceptance." 

"If you can't, maybe Terry's right and you're too narrow-minded in your interpretations." Lucy opened the fridge and pulled out an apple. "I think you should just live with what's happened, and eventually you'll get used to it." 

"Easy for you to say. You knew before all of us." Matt crossed his arms. 

"It wasn't easy at first. Terry sat me down and talked me through it, explained it." 

"And that convinced you?" Eric pulled out a cup from the cupboard. 

Lucy faltered a moment. "No." 

"Then what was it? His looks? The fact he's a model?" Eric poured himself a bit of coffee. 

Lucy shook her head. "Dad! That has nothing to do with it!" 

"Then what, Luce?" Matt eyed his sister. "What is it that convinced you that this was Simon?" 

"More than anything? It was Simon himself." 

Eric raised his eyebrow. "He wasn't very convincing to us." 

"You didn't see him when he knew I saw him and Terry. He was terrified of what would happen, and his face..." Lucy stared past the kitchen for a moment, at a memory only she could see. 

Matt leaned forward. "Luce?" 

Lucy jumped slightly, startled out of her memories. "His actions spoke louder than anything that he or Terry said. That's how I came to realize I had to look past my biases and accept what was happening." She headed for the stairs. "If you just gave them a chance, you might realize that it isn't that bad, considering the alternatives that could've happened." 

Eric watched her retreat upstairs, then looked at Matt. "Since when did my kids get wiser than me?" 

"Don't ask me. I've been saying it for years." Matt patted his father's shoulder and headed down the hall. 

~*()*~ 

"Must you do that inside?" 

Terry looked at his upside-down brother. "It's been raining for days on end. If I go outside, I'd slip." 

Jordon eyed his younger sibling, who was currently hanging from a support beam in the garage by his legs. "While I sympathize, I can't reach the dryer without hitting you." 

Terry shrugged. "It can wait a few minutes." 

Jordon rolled his eyes. "It also unnerves your boyfriend. He's afraid you're going to fall and hit your head." 

Terry tilted his head, before pulling himself up, flipping over, and landing on his feet in a crouch. "Why didn't you say so?" Terry grabbed a towel on top of the washer and wiped his face. "I've been out here long enough anyway." 

Jordon pushed his brother aside. "Now go shower. You reek." 

Terry wrinkled his nose. "This from the person who forgets to bathe on a daily basis?" 

Jordon blinked a moment, then glanced back at Terry. "The rain doesn't count as a shower?" 

Terry through his arms up. "Baka! I'm living with a baka!" He left the garage. 

Jordon smirked and went back to pulling clothes out of the dryer. 

Terry, patting his arms dry, came across Simon sitting on the couch in the living room. He was watching television, but the far away look in his eyes informed Terry that his mind was elsewhere. Resting the towel around his neck, he sat next to the blond and muted the sound. 

Simon, startled at the sudden lack of sound and human contact, jumped a few inches off the couch. "Terry! Don't do that..." 

Terry chuckled and kissed Simon on the cheek. "Sorry, but you looked too serious." 

Simon sighed and leaned back. "It's just....it's Tuesday and they still haven't called, haven't given any indication they want me back. What if...what if they don't want me?" 

Terry rested his chin on a fist, watching Simon. "It took Luce a good two weeks before she was comfortable with us." 

"But I don't have two weeks! I need to get back to school! I...I..." Simon sniffed and looked at Terry, noticing for the first time that the sandy-haired youth was wearing a damp tank top and black shorts. "What have you been doing?" 

"Oh, working out a bit. Just because I'm taking a break doesn't mean I can slack off. Besides, endorphins are natural boosters, and I always feel re-energized once I have them flowing." 

To Simon, the sweat glistening off the teen made him even more beautiful, and the smell of him, it made him more attracted to the male model. It was completely uninhibited, and its musky odor was one of the best smells Simon had ever experienced. Without thinking about it, he leaned forward and kissed Terry, drinking him in, feeling the heated body against his own, forgetting about his worries. 

Terry was surprised, but closed his eyes and returned in kind, wrapping an arm around Simon to make them both more comfortable. _Maybe I should work out more often._

That's when the water hit. Both Simon and Terry gasped and fell off the couch, surprised. 

Terry sputtered a bit and looked towards the kitchen door. His eyes narrowed. _Aniki..._

Jordon, the smirk from earlier still on his face, was holding a small squirt bottle, still aimed at the two of them. "I leave you two alone for a few minutes..." 

Simon was beet red, still aroused from the kiss, and embarrassed about being caught. 

Terry was also red, but in his case, it was more in anger than in embarrassment. "Omae o korosu." 

Jordon laughed and shook his head. "I'd like to see you try. If you're going to get so hot and heavy, try not to do it on the couch. You never know when we might have guests." 

"Next time Sakura calls, you're gonna get it." 

Jordon shrugged. "It's worth it to see the look on your face." 

"That's it!" Terry stood and ran towards his brother. 

Jordon yelped and ran down the hall, heading for the back door. 

Terry followed, then backtracked and looked at Simon. "We'll continue later, ne?" He smiled, then turned and ran after his brother. 

Simon kept blushing. Outside, he could hear Terry and Jordon going at it, even caught a few glimpses of the battle through the window. All he was thinking, though, was how much he wanted Terry at that moment. _I guess this settles any further doubts I have._ He heard a yelp from Terry and noticed Jordon was using the water bottle again, despite the fact that both of them were soaked from the rain. Seeing the clothes stick to Terry's lithe form didn't help Simon any. _I...think I'll take a cold shower._ And with that, he headed for the bathroom. 

~*()*~ 

"So we're agreed? We talk it out, and though we'll probably still disagree, we take him back, and not push him to anything?" 

Annie nodded slowly. Days without her son she could handle, but the possibility of never seeing him again finally struck home after eavesdropping on Lucy and Mary as she was putting away laundry. 

_"You mean you've talked to him?"_

_"To Terry. Simon was asleep."_

_"And? Is he okay?"_

_"Emotionally traumatized, but alright. I'm sure it'll help when he knows we all support him, and it's just mom and dad we have to convince."_

_"Well, I'm not completely convinced, but Dax was right about one thing: Simon needs us."_

_"Let's just hope mom and dad realize that soon."_

_"Why? Terry can't keep Simon forever."_

_"Actually, he said that if it came to it, he would. He's already having a restraining order being drawn up in case things start going down hill."_

_"He can't be serious! Against his family? No way. No judge would allow it."_

_"He's done this before, Mary. He knows what he's doing. I just hope mom and dad don't force the issue. I'd hate to have the family torn apart like that."_

_"Wow...so, this is really happening."_

_"We just need to get mom and dad to understand. Especially mom. She doesn't realize how much she's hurting not just Simon, but the family by banishing him."_

_"No kidding."_

__"What brought you to this decision, anyway?" Eric fiddled with his glasses, looking over his wife. 

"Just some thinking, that's all. I mean, Dax is a nice guy, and...Simon is our son. We accepted Matt's smoking, dealt with Mary's problems, helped Lucy through her fiancé troubles...we can handle Simon being gay. At least it's not drugs, right?" Annie wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Eric or herself. "Besides, Matt's leaving for medical school..." 

Eric nodded slightly. "You don't want to lose both of them."  
Annie nodded. "Among other things." 

Eric sighed and picked up the phone. "Should you or I make the call?" 

"You do it. I-I have to deal with dinner." 

Eric watched his wife leave, then stared at the phone. Putting his glasses back on, he closed his Bible and looked through his phone book. Then he paused and looked to the ceiling. "I hope this is the right thing." Glancing down and finding the page he was searching for, he dialed Terry's number. 

~*()*~ 

Terry hung up the phone and took a deep breath. _That's a good sign._

"What did they want?" 

Terry looked over at Simon. Simon had come in when he heard Terry mention his father's name, and had taken a slow seat on the couch cornering the other one. "He wants to talk. Both of them do." 

Simon looked a little relieved, but there was also some fear in his blue eyes. "So...when?" 

"I invited them over tomorrow afternoon. That gives them time to prepare, us as well." He reached out and push the hair out of Simon's face. "I have a good feeling it'll go well." 

"I hope so." 

Terry looked at his watch. "Where is he?" 

Simon blinked, lost at the sudden change of subject. Then he realized what Terry meant. "Well, it's still raining." 

"It's drizzling. And it's not like I hurt him THAT much." 

Simon scratched his arm. When he had gotten out of the shower, he had found the brothers just coming in, both soaked, both covered in mud, but both were laughing and joking. They had gone into the bathroom to clean up, and shortly afterward, Terry, dressed in jeans and a black turtleneck, sent his brother on some errand. "Where'd he go, anyway?" 

Terry smiled. "A surprise." 

Simon frowned. "A surprise for who?" 

Terry opened his mouth to respond, but Jordon stumbling in with a huge box in his hands interrupted him. Terry stood and went over to Jordon, helping the elder brother, who was also swearing profusely in Japanese, get the box in and shut the door. Jordon set the box down and pushed back his hood, glaring at his brother. "I shouldn't have gone. I hate malls." 

"Hai hai." Terry looked over the box. "They packed it?" 

"They gave it to me for protection from the weather." Jordon took off his jacket. "I'm gonna go dry off. Excuse me." He went to the bathroom. 

Simon stood and knelt by Terry. "What's this?" 

Terry finally figured out how to open the box, did so, and pulled out a long case. "A gift. For you." 

Simon sat back, finally recognizing what the rectangular case was. "You didn't." 

"Well, you said you've been wanting your own instead of using your dad's, and since it's likely I won't see you for Christmas..." Terry set the case in front of Simon. "Merry Christmas." 

Simon shook his head. "I-I can't accept this. It's too much." 

Terry sat by Simon and rested his chin on Simon's shoulder. "I'd really like it if we could play together. I have some pieces of music that are beautiful, but need a guitar." 

Simon hesitated, then undid the locks and opened his gift. Inside was a guitar, one he had actually been contemplating buying on his own. It was more stylish than his fathers, and had a red tint to it. "How did you-" 

"I saw a picture of it in a magazine you had, and how you had it marked." Terry picked it up and held it before Simon. "Well?" 

Simon gingerly took the instrument and rested it on his legs, arranging his fingers, feeling over the strings. "I...I don't have anything to give you. Terry, this is too much, after everything you did-" 

Terry silenced Simon with a kiss, pulling back when he was sure he'd get no more protests. "I wanted to, Simon. Even if we separate, by choice or by force, I wanted you to have something to always remind you of me." He ran his hand through Simon's blond locks. "Play." 

Simon blinked. "Play?"  
Terry chuckled and patted the guitar gently. "Play something." 

Simon blushed slightly. "Oh, play. Right." He ran his fingers over the strings, eliciting their sounds. It took him a few minutes to get ready, and when he was, he played the piece he knew he could play perfectly, without any music. 

He played 'Three Blind Mice.' 

Terry chuckled, patting Simon's back. "We'll work on it together. Here, hold on." Terry stood and went to his room. 

Simon hunched his shoulders. _Okay, so maybe I need to work a bit harder. Get to know some real music._

Terry returned and sat near Simon, flute in his hand. "Play it again. I'll accompany." 

"Terry, this is silly-" 

"Play it again. Just keep going in a cycle." 

Simon sighed, but played the piece again. 

Terry closed his eyes, listening to the music a few minutes, before raising his own silver instrument to his mouth and playing along, a more complex version, but still 'Three Blind Mice.' 

After five rounds of the song, Jordon finally vocalized his opinion on the continued repetition. "URUSAI!" 

Simon stopped abruptly, looking towards the bathroom. 

Terry sighed and set the flute down. "I guess he got sick of hearing the same song." 

Simon nodded. His cheeks were flushed. "Thank you. For everything." 

Terry simply offered a warm smile. Both remained silent for a few more minutes. Terry finally glanced at the hallway. "Say, do you know 'Mary Had a Little Lamb'?" 

Simon smirked and nodded, practically reading Terry's mind. _Revenge for breaking us up earlier._

~*()*~ 

Terry blinked and glanced towards his door. Both he and Simon had turned in early, around nine, so that they would have time to pack Simon's things and prepare themselves for whatever may come the next day. Currently, it was 10:30, and Jordon was leaning in his doorway, arms crossed. "Yes?" 

Jordon walked in and sat by Terry. "I thought you wanted to turn in early." 

Terry shrugged slightly, book marking his place in a history textbook he had been reading. "When I return, I need to be prepared to face my teachers' scrutiny." 

"Glad to see you do intend to return to the school." Jordon looked out the door, towards the guest bedroom. "So tomorrow's the day, huh?" 

"I think it'll go well."  
"You've thought that before and the situation only got worse." 

Terry shook his head. "I can't think like that. I don't want to lose Simon, and thinking about the failures will only screw things up tomorrow." 

Jordon leaned forward, resting an arm by Terry's pillow. "Ototou, be realistic. This isn't some fantasy book or anime story. This is life. It doesn't always end happily." 

"You think I don't know that?" Terry looked away, his golden eyes shining with pain. "You think I don't remember them? That I haven't learned that sometimes intervening makes things worse?" 

"No, I don't think you have." Jordon ran a hand through Terry's hair. "You have too kind a soul, and it dulls the pain of the past, makes you reach out and help those who are suffering." 

Terry's head snapped back to face his brother. "But I feel he's it! He's not like the others! I felt...felt a connection, something far deeper than any other boy I've been with!" 

Jordon eyed Terry. "That doesn't mean it'll be easy. I've been watching him. He also has a gentle soul, one that's strong, but not strong enough to handle just how badly things could turn out." 

Terry lowered his eyes. "I know. That's why I can't let things go bad." 

Jordon sighed and patted his brother's head. 

Terry remained silent, calming the inner storm his elder brother had raised. 

"Sakura says hi." 

Terry let out a slow breath through his nose and looked up. "How is she?" 

"Doing well. Not nearly as nervous as she should be for her tests." 

"She doesn't get nervous. If she did, I doubt she'd have asked you out in the first place." 

Jordon blushed slightly. "Yeah, well, I'm still worried." 

"What've you got to be worried about? You'll probably be free for another year before they make you tie the knot." 

Jordon whapped his brother lightly. "Hush, you, or I won't tell you what she thought about you and Simon." 

Terry chuckled. Sakura, Jordon's current and only girlfriend, was of the Shinto religion, and as such, believed in reincarnation. "So who was he according to her? Wait, let me guess. Let's see, my last boyfriend was the reincarnation of the horse I rode when I was a feudal warrior. The one before that was a fox I killed on a hunt. So by my estimation, Simon must've been an elephant or a whale." 

Jordon rolled his eyes. He was actually converting to Shinto after he moved. Granted, reincarnation was a dubious prospect to him, but it led to some interesting conversations. "No, actually. He's different. Remember when she told you that in a past life you had a forbidden love?" 

Terry frowned a moment, concentrating. He snapped his fingers. "When I was that kitchen servant. I was in love with a countess or something?" 

"Yes, and you planned to meet her in a neighboring region to run away and be wed together." 

Terry nodded. "Except the lord I served found out and had me executed, and she committed suicide. So?" 

Jordon waited, knowing it would hit home in a moment. 

Terry waited as well, for his brother's explanation. When none came, his mind fit the pieces together. He blinked once, then twice, then he started laughing. 

That wasn't the reaction Jordon was expecting. "What's so funny?" 

"The fact that you think Simon was a woman I loved in a past life. Baka. Baka baka baka." Terry kept laughing, bending over slightly. 

Jordon frowned. "I happen to believe in the reincarnation thing this time. It makes sense. Look at the parallels. She was from a prestigious family, Simon comes from something that has just as much attention. It was a forbidden love, you and Simon are forbidden to be together in many people's minds. She-" 

"Aniki," Terry placed a hand on Jordon's wrist, "stop before you say something stupid. I don't believe in reincarnation. I believe our souls were destined to meet, yes. I believe that God had this planned and it was His divine will that led me here to meet Simon, yes. I cannot believe, though, that Simon and I were...reincarnated." 

Jordon sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I guess I shouldn't have shared it with you. That's what I get for revealing my soft side." 

"Baka." Terry squeezed Jordon's hand. "I still love you, and I love Sakura, and I respect her religion. But this whole past life thing...it's a bit far out for me to swallow." 

"Why?" 

Terry tilted his head in thought. "Why don't I have any memories of it? Why was Simon reincarnated from a woman? It would've been easier to make me straight and keep him a girl." 

"Love transcends time and space. You've seen that theme played out dozens of times." 

"Doesn't mean I believe it's actually happened." 

Jordon looked up at the ceiling. 

Terry knew that look and calmed down enough to control his laughing. "I like listening to the stories, aniki, but I don't believe a word of them. I believe in one God, and he doesn't have reincarnation." 

"Doesn't mean Sakura couldn't be right. Maybe Shinto is the right religion." 

Terry shrugged. "The way I look at it, we'll find out when we're dead, and until then, we believe what we believe." 

"Even when it's wrong?" 

"Let's not get into that whole Muslim doctrine debate again." Terry set his book on his end table and looked at his brother. "I'm going to bed now." 

"Right, right." Jordon rose and headed for the door. He paused at it and glanced back. "Good luck." 

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow night." Terry turned off the bedside lamp. 

Jordon nodded and closed the door. 

~*()*~ 

For Simon, the night ended too quickly. Granted, that's because his dreams were filled with him and Terry finishing what they had started yesterday in the living room. _If I'm going to stay with him, I'm going to have to find some way to stop these dreams._ Granted, Simon knew he was a teenage boy, and as such, was going to experience these dreams for a while. Before, when he thought they were supposed to be girls and it was his friends, it disturbed him. Now he actually, and somewhat guiltily, admitted to himself that he enjoyed them. _At least it's with the man I love._

_Man. The man I love._

Simon knew that he wanted to be with Terry a long time, and that the feelings were deeper than the normal crush. But to say that phrase, that casual phrase usually attached to any date, meant more than anything before. He knew that, come Hell or high water, he wanted to be with Terry. If it meant sacrificing his family, he would. And he would tell his parents that. He ran away last time, because he was still unsure if Terry was the right one. That and he was scared. But he wanted to become a man, and realizing just how important Terry was, and knowing he could say it without caring of the consequences, he knew he had taken a big step in that direction. 

Terry had come in to call Simon to breakfast around nine. Simon detected that Terry was slightly distracted, but he had also heard Terry and Jordon talking the night before, and assumed it was about that. Through the day, Terry helped Simon pack up, coached him on how to approach subjects, how to explain things in a neutral manner, and every now and then, picking up their respective instruments and playing together. 

When the doorbell rang at three in the afternoon, the confidence Simon had felt earlier, to his surprise, was still there. There was fear, anger, relief, and a mingle of other feelings as well, but the confidence was overpowering them, reflecting in his eyes as they tinted green in the afternoon light. 

Terry kissed Simon one last, brief time, and gave him an encouraging smile. _Here's hoping._ Turning, he went to the front door and opened it. 

Eric and Annie were on the other side, neither smiling or frowning. Both had a look of concern, worry. 

_They're unsure of themselves,_ Simon realized. _They're treading in unknown waters. Nothing with Matt or Mary or Lucy or at the church prepared them for something like this._ He stood taller, offering both of them a small smile as they took a seat on the couch facing the television. 

"Would any of you like a drink? I have tea, coffee, soda, anything?" 

Annie waved her hand. 

"I'll have some water." 

Simon nodded at Terry, indicating he wanted one as well. 

Terry got the message and went into the kitchen. He returned a moment later, handing both Simon and Eric a water bottle, and setting a forth in front of Annie. "Just in case. You never know." Terry took a seat by Simon, then set his bottle down and rested his arms in his lap. "So...it's good to see you two again. Is Matt okay? I didn't mean to hurt him if I did, but at the time I just..." Terry curled his hands into fists a moment. 

Eric nodded. "He's fine. Just a sprained wrist. And, he had it coming in some respects."  
"Still, I'll apologize to him. I'm not usually violent. But after what you did..." 

"We understand, somewhat. We've been in the same position before." Annie tapped her fingers on her knees. 

"What we don't understand," Eric leaned forward, looking at Simon instead of Terry, "is how you became...gay." 

Terry looked at Simon, squeezing his hand briefly before leaning back. _You can do this, Simon. _

Simon took a deep breath. _It's now or never._ "Well, mom, dad, I think I've always been gay. I just didn't...realize it until I hit puberty. And I didn't know how to deal with it. I mean, Mary and Lucy liked guys, and Matt liked girls. And the Bible and everything...I just didn't know how to interpret all the signals. I didn't realize that I was gay because I had never seen it, and it's been suppressed in our house, if not the community." 

Eric looked over to Annie. 

Annie frowned, looking between Terry and Simon a moment. "So Dax helped you understand what you were feeling. But how do you know this isn't some phase? Or how do we know that Dax didn't manipulate you?" 

"Mom, you know Terry. You met him and his brother, and interrogated him at that dinner. He's not a manipulator. He's known for years he's gay, and he's been helping people realize who they are since he knew." Simon closed his eyes a moment, thinking. "How I know this isn't a phase is...was more difficult for me to identify. Terry never pressured me, in fact he encouraged me to go out with girls still, see if I felt anything for them." 

Eric tilted his head. "And?" 

"And...I felt nothing. I mean, yeah, I was attracted one a couple levels, but if anything, they were feelings I thought were supposed to be there, what Matt had always told me it was supposed to be like." Simon shook his head. "It was either what I heard from Matt, or from some primal level. But guys...and especially Terry," Simon looked over at Terry, "I felt more attracted to them. I won't go into details, but it just felt more right. And Terry..." Simon took Terry's hand and entwined his fingers with the other teen's. "Terry always let me know that if it didn't work out, he wouldn't be hurt, and would encourage me in whatever I chose. And now I know I'm not straight, and I'm not leaving Terry." 

Annie was obviously trying very hard not to frown, if not explode. On one hand, Simon had been straightforward, and seemed happier than he had been in a long time. On the other, though, he was gay. 

"It's not like we're asking for the whole community to know." Terry sat forward a bit. "I know better than any of you just how a revelation like this can destroy a person's life, if not a town's life. Simon and I will continue to be discreet, but we want you to be a part of our lives. Family is important to Simon. Granted, it was my brother who pushed us into telling you, but I did want you to know soon. Keeping this secret was hard on me, but I knew it was even harder for Simon, who loves all of you." 

"What about the Bible? The religious interpretations?" Eric crossed his arms. "They all say they're wrong." 

Simon picked up a book from the coffee table. Terry had set out books, a couple Simon had read, others he hadn't, regarding the views of homosexuality and religion, among other things. "That's one interpretation, dad." He set the book before Eric. "There are others. Terry had me read this book, to see if I even wanted to consider exploring the feelings I was having. If I thought that those interpretations were wrong or bogus or crazy, I wouldn't have continued to explore. But they weren't. They made a lot of sense, and they helped me make peace with God about my orientation." 

Eric hesitated, then picked up the book. He turned it over and scanned the back. 

Annie fixated her gaze upon Terry's face, his eyes in particular. She still remembered the burning fury behind them the afternoon he had come and threatened them. They had struck her, as if he had slapped her himself, but they also made her realize just how much the boy cared for her son, no matter what she thought of them. "So what is it you want, Dax? Simon?" 

"Simon's happiness. I realize that I make Simon happy on many levels, but if he didn't have his family, there would be a hole in his heart I could never fill." Terry took his hand away from Simon's and leaned forward. 

Simon sat back. He had been dreading this part of the confrontation, where his mother and Terry would have a battle of wills. 

"What if I say we'll take him back but not you?" 

"If you treat him as you should and respect him, I'll forego my happiness for his." 

"And what of the world? When they find out-" 

"I'll protect him in every way I can. He's stronger than you think, though. He's not just your little boy anymore. He's becoming a man. You have to let go and allow him to become who he is, not who you want him to be, or how you want him to be." 

Annie locked eyes with Terry. "And if we reject him?" 

Simon felt a weight fall into his stomach. He hadn't really expected that, and it hit harder than any other question. 

"Then I will use all in my power to protect Simon, and help him through this time of grieving. If necessary, move him away, to where we would be accepted." 

Annie leaned back and stared at Simon. 

Simon shrank back almost unconsciously. He knew his mother and her gazes. This one felt like it would burn a hole through him. _Does this mean...I can't go home?_

Eric set the book down and looked at Simon as well. 

Simon couldn't take the brunt of both stares and averted his gaze. 

Terry held in his breath. 

"We'll...try to understand, to accept you," Annie's face softened slightly and glanced at Terry, "and you." 

"If you don't mind, though, we would like to talk with you about this and these books." Eric looked far less upset than Annie, though his face betrayed the hint of discomfort he had. 

Terry let out the air he had been storing in his lungs and nodded. "Of course. You should talk to Lucy too." 

Eric nodded. "Oh, I intend to." 

Annie hesitated, then got up and embraced Simon. 

Simon, who was still recovering from the bombshell question his mother had dropped, felt the energy drain out of him and he hugged his mother back, tears he hadn't even realized had gathered sliding down his face silently. 

Eric got up and rubbed Simon's back, before awkwardly hugging Simon as well. 

Terry watched the three a moment, glad that they were giving Simon a chance. He looked up to the ceiling. _Thank you. Thank you a million times over. _

Annie pulled away from Simon as the teen fell back to the couch, tired from the emotion tension of the past few days. She walked over to Terry. 

Terry stood to meet her, not expecting a hug or anything. "Annie." 

Annie looked him up and down, then patted his arm. "Thanks for taking care of him."  
Terry glanced over Annie's shoulder to the resting Simon. "Always." He looked back at Annie. "Thanks for giving him a chance, giving us a chance." 

Annie's face hardened a moment. "If you ever hurt him, or threaten my family again, though-" 

Terry held up his hands. "I won't, and I'm sorry about that. When it comes to the ones I love, I'm very protective." 

"As am I." 

Eric stepped forwards, next to Annie. "This is...difficult for us to accept. All of us. I'm still not even sure how I'm going to explain this to the twins." 

Terry smiled and shrugged. "We're both grateful that you're making an attempt of understanding. It may be difficult, and it may take a while, but I hope we can come to an understanding one day." 

Eric nodded. 

Annie looked back at Simon. "So, ready to come home?" 

Simon smiled, wiping the tears off on the sleeve of his sweater. "Yeah. I'm ready." 

Terry left the room a moment, returning minutes later with a bag and the guitar case. He handed them both to Simon, leaned forward, then paused. "I assume you two don't want to see us kissing?" 

Eric and Annie quickly shook their heads. 

"If you don't mind." 

"If you avoided doing that, actually." 

Terry sighed, and was pretty sure he heard a disappointed whine from Simon. _We'll find our moments. _"Until next time, Simon." He hugged the blond. 

Simon hugged him back, closing his eyes and whispering, "Thank you." 

"I love you, Simon," Terry whispered back. "Always." 

Simon swallowed and pulled back, wiping his tears away once more. He sniffed and picked up his things. "I'm ready." 

~*()*~ 

"Well? Can you see them?" 

Matt waved his arm and looked to the back seat at Lucy. "No, and if you keep asking, I'll miss it." 

"He was smart to pull the curtains." Robbie, sitting in the passenger seat, kept his eyes scanning the front of Terry's house. 

Though Eric and Annie had tried to keep the meeting secret, it wasn't long before all the kids knew of it. Shortly after their parents had left, Matt, Lucy, and Robbie had decided to wait across the street. If their parents had failed, they'd be there to offer support to Simon, and devise a way to change their parents' minds. Mary had opted to remain home and baby sit the twins and Ruthie. 

"The door's opening." 

Lucy leaned between the seats and looked towards the house. "There's mom...and dad..." 

Robbie sat up a bit higher to see over Lucy's head. "They don't look that mad. Your dad's carrying some sort of book." 

"Mom doesn't look that pissed." Matt narrowed his eyes at the front door. "Someone's coming..." 

Lucy crossed her fingers. 

Robbie made out the figure first and nodded. "It's Simon." 

"Yes!" Lucy sat back in her seat. 

Matt nodded as well, though wasn't sure how he felt. True, he knew he should be there for Simon for advice or guidance or even just support, but the gay factor was still a little disturbing to him. _As long as he's happy, I suppose. I can't fault him for following his heart._ Starting the car, Matt pulled out of the space and drove off, heading for home. 

Lucy, grinning in the back, watched the scenery as they drove. 

Robbie was watching the traffic. "You know..." 

Matt glanced at him, and Lucy sat up a bit. 

"This is going to be an interesting year." 

Lucy laughed lightly. 

Matt rolled his eyes skyward. _Interesting, yes. Let's hope that this is the extent of our troubles, though._

Outside, the storm clouds finally began to break apart, blowing away. The storm had finally passed, making room for the sun to shine though, and for future storms.__

__~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~ 

Baka: idiot 

Aniki: older brother 

Ne: right, okay 

Hai: yes, yeah 

Urusai: shut up 

Ototou: little brother 

Omae o korosu: I will kill you 

Author's Prattle: Hello hello! As I said in the last prattle, this isn't the end of the fic! However, I will be starting the second semester of college, so I figure I'll be out of writing for a couple days. Furthermore, I've been neglecting some other duties in the fic world I have. So while I'll continue writing this timeline, I'm going to try and finish a brief Fushigi Yugi fic, hammer out the next segment of my futuristic Ronin Warriors fic, and start a new 7th Heaven fic as well. Thus, this fic line may be put on hold for up to a week, possibly two. That isn't to say I've quit it entirely! Chapter twelve should be up in a day or two, so keep an eye out! As always, feedback is appreciated, but above that, enjoy! 


	12. Grieving Terror

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

****_By Cypher_

Chapter Twelve: Grieving Terror 

Three weeks had passed since Simon had come out to his family. Thus far no one outside the immediate family knew. While some members, like Lucy and Robbie, had come to terms with the new situations, just about everyone else was still attempting to adjust. Mary had reached an impasse, glad that Simon was back and happy, and not really interested in the fact he was gay, only looking out for his well-being. Ruthie was actually very curious, and sometimes asked Simon a question or two about being gay. 

Matt, by far, was having the hardest time adjusting to the new Simon. He knew that the new Simon was the same as the old Simon, he was just gay. It unnerved him, and Terry still rubbed him the wrong way. Of course, Robbie still rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe he just didn't like other guys entering into his siblings lives. 

Eric had borrowed every book Terry owned on homosexuality and religion. When not dealing with church duties, he was often found in his study, a book to his right, the Bible to his left, both open. Eric was slowly becoming more accustomed to the relationship, and was okay with Terry and Simon together. He just wasn't completely comfortable with it. 

Annie was the worst of the lot. Simon's happiness meant a lot to her. But homosexuality was something she was having a very difficult time accepting. It was a subject she had never broached with any of her children, and she had always assumed they would be straight. This was completely unknown to her, and she felt she really didn't know who her own son was. Still, she joined Eric when he consulted Lucy, Simon, or even Terry about being gay, and she tried, truly tried, to accept her son. 

Simon was aware of all of these at some level. Mary had gone back to treating him like she always had, while Matt had been avoiding him. Annie spent time near him, but never said much. Eric talked to him mostly in regards to what he had been reading, trying to get his son's viewpoints. Ruthie was both annoying and supportive, so in a way she hadn't changed her attitude towards him, just altered what she did to bother him. 

Robbie treated him as he always had, and was even making an effort to get to know Simon more, to be as supportive and brotherly as possible. Simon appreciated it, though he wasn't sure Robbie knew by just how much. Lucy, as before the coming out, was his rock and confidant. He wanted to go back to Matt, but Simon knew Matt wasn't ready, so he went to Lucy. Lucy didn't always know the answer, but she knew how to listen whenever she was silent. He was glad he could connect that way with one family member. 

Christmas had rolled around with the usual antics. Simon got to put up the lights outside with Robbie's help, and they had opened presents Christmas Eve. Lucy picked out the cast for the Christmas scene, and this time there were no cancellations. Simon had called Terry, and the two wished each other a Merry Christmas, but due to scheduling conflicts and family obligations, neither could see each other. Simon could swear he heard Jordon in the background yelling about some drink, but Terry assured him it was just a movie. 

On New Year's Eve, Terry surprised Simon with an early dinner and some cuddling time watching the stars come out. Terry had brought them to a park on the edge of Glen Oak. It was deserted because everyone was with their families or celebrating the new year. Terry wrapped his arm around Simon and just stared at the sky. For an instant, Simon saw the child in Terry, a boy who was awestruck with the magic of the night and the mysteries of the universe. Then Terry looked into Simon's eyes, and Simon could see the maturity, how the awestruck boy had grown into the teen who was before him. 

Simon knew just what to say at that moment. "Terry. I...I love you." 

"I know. I love you too, Simon." 

They kissed after that, not like the kiss Simon had initiated when he was staying at Terry's house. This one was one of affection, one that neither party wanted to stop because they felt their souls connect, their emotions flowing through their lips into one another. One of those mystical moments when time seems to stop and everything and anything is possible. 

However, that evening ended, starting the new year. 2002. Simon thought it was a big deal, but to Terry, it was just another year. A new year filled with hopes and dreams, but still just another year. They had their lives to live. It was January 11th, the first Friday after school started. Simon had wanted to go out to celebrate, a place where they could be with each other and be as affectionate as they wanted to be. 

Annie and Eric didn't want them out, and to Simon's surprise, Terry agreed. In fact, the first week back had been difficult on Terry. Not only had work begun to pick up again with early morning and late night shoots, but the practice APs had been returned, and they were preparing for the next one. While Terry hadn't done poorly, he was still below the bar he had set for himself and added extra study time to his schedule. 

So, when Friday came up, Terry came over with a pizza and a movie. They chatted with Simon's parents for a short bit, but ended up in the living room, eating and watching a movie called 'Metropolis.' Simon leaned against Terry, knowing the blinds and door were closed. _This isn't so bad. _He looked up to Terry, who, unlike Simon, was following the dialogue rather than the subtitles. _This is better than I thought. I can't think of anything that could ruin this evening._

Terry reached up and stroked Simon's hair a couple times. His eyes didn't leave the screen, but his mouth twitched upward into a smile. _We got through the challenge of his family. All that's left is surviving my mother. Here's hoping she stops by soon._ Another part of his mind spoke up, one he dismissed to focus his attention back to the movie, the part of the mind that warns to be careful what you wish for. 

~*()*~ 

"Hello?" Jordon's eyes widened as he heard who was on the other end of the phone. "Calm down, calm down. What happened?" His already pale complexion seemed to pale further. "Oh Gods...when can you be here?" He looked at the clock. "We'll pick up Terry from his boyfriend's house after you arrive. Right, love you too." Jordon hung up the phone and collapsed onto the couch, staring at the wall. "Oh Gods..." 

~*()*~ 

"You know, these movies aren't as bad as I thought. I mean, before I met you, I always thought they were for kids more than anything else." 

Terry shook his head. "Anime is for all ages. Would a kid understand the complexities of this movie the way you and I do?" 

Simon tilted his head. "I doubt it. Well, maybe Ruthie." 

Terry rolled his eyes. "Ruthie's an exception to every rule." 

Simon chuckled. In the background, he heard the doorbell ring. _Someone else can get it._

Terry was about to hug Simon when the doors slid open. He sighed and leaned back. 

Simon looked at the door. "Mom?" 

"Um, Dax, there's someone at the door for you." 

Terry's brow furrowed. _No one knows where Simon lives. Well, except for aniki, and while he might tell Amber, he'd have no real reason to._ Standing, he headed into the entry way, followed shortly by Simon. He stopped in his tracks when he saw who was standing outside the door. 

She was just under six feet tall, with the same skin complexion as Terry. Her hair color was a light tan, almost blond that was wrapped into a bun. Her hazel eyes were scanning over the occupants of the room, taking extra time to look over Simon. She appeared no older than thirty. 

"O-okasan! What are you doing here?" 

"Terry..." 

Terry felt his heart quicken. His mother wasn't acting right. Normally she'd be full of energy, hugging him and talking so fast he could barely keep up. Either she was acting reserved so that the Camdens would be comfortable around her, or, and Terry figured this was it, something terrible had happened. 

Eric leaned over to Simon. "Who's that? An old girlfriend?" 

Simon blinked and stopped gazing at the woman. "No. That's his mother. At least, I think it is." 

"THAT'S his mother?" Eric's eyes widened. 

Annie crossed her arms and glared at her husband. 

Ms. Jordon nodded at the Camdens, then looked back at Terry. "We need to go. There's something we need to talk about." 

Terry caught sight of his brother outside, and became more somber. _This can't be good. Can't be good at all._ Terry squeezed Simon's hand, then headed for the door. "I'll see you later, Simon. This is important." 

Simon nodded slightly, confused about what had just transpired. _Terry always painted her as much...friendlier. What's going on?_

"Simon, do you know what's going on?" 

Simon shook his head, feeling his stomach turn slightly. He might not have known Terry's mother, but he recognized the worry in his boyfriend's face. "All I know is that it's urgent, and it's bad." 

Eric patted his shoulder. "I'm sure it'll be fine." 

Simon gave a fake smile. _I'm not so sure. _

__~*()*~ 

Terry just stared at his mother, not believing what he had just heard, yet knowing it was true. "You...your sure? Wouldn't we have been notified earlier?" 

"You know how he was. We were simple names and numbers to him. And I checked. He was in the process of updating who was to be notified." 

Jordon sat forward. "Which means no one was called." 

Terry ran a hand over his face. _I never made the call. I thought we had more time. Oh God..._

Jordon reached over to a bottle of clear liquid and began pouring some of it into three shot glasses. 

Terry recognized the bottle. It was from Japan, a rice wine known as sake. He had a slight taste for it, but a low tolerance and never drank much. His brother took after his mother in the sense that he could have drink after drink, never getting tired of it, but quitting when necessary. The only times he himself had drunken it had been Christmas, birthdays, the divorce, and a funeral for an ex-boyfriend. 

Taking a shaky breath, he took the glass and raised it, noticing his brother and mother were doing the same. 

Jordon spoke first. "Mom, if you'd do the honors." 

She nodded and stood, raising her glass to the air. "To Yaguchi Hidoru, one of the best and worst men alive. Brilliant in the field of science, not such a great family man. Great lover, horrible father. I think my mother put it best when he married me: here's to that old SOB." With that, she drank her sake. 

Jordon and Terry raised their glasses as well, before downing their contents. Jordon slammed the glass down on the table, as did their mother. Terry set his glass to the side, He knew his family tended to gulp their drink. He liked to sip it. It went down much easier for him that way. 

"Ne, Gwen?" 

Gwen Jordon, their mother, looked over to her eldest son. "Hmm?" 

"What was Hidoru like before you had me?" 

Terry's eyebrows raised. It was a rather serious question for his brother, and not very customary of him. _Maybe he's more adult than he lets on._

Gwen swallowed another glass of sake and sat back, swinging it slowly between her thumb and forefinger. "You know, I haven't thought about that time for a while." 

Terry looked at the table. "Do you think you could tell us?" 

Gwen looked at her younger son, the one that had grown up without his father. _I guess it's time they knew._ She took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. "It was the fall in 1980, August I think. School was about to start up again, and I was thinking of my sister's wedding as well as getting my driver's license..." 

~*()*~ 

Simon raised his hand before the door and hesitated. He knew Robbie was out, and Lucy was on the phone, and that's why he had come here. In the past, it was the one person he could go to for help and guidance. Simon knew he might not be ready, but Simon needed him. Taking a breath, he knocked. 

"Come in." 

Simon opened the door and shut it quietly behind him. 

Matt looked up from his book, a nervous look flitting across his face a moment. "Simon. Something you need?" 

Simon nodded. "I need someone to talk to...and...I want to talk to you." 

Matt tensed. It was subtle, but Simon could detect it. He had admired and observed his older brother long enough to read the signals. Shaking his head, Simon turned around. "Never mind. It was dumb to think-" 

"Simon, wait." Matt got up and walked over, resting a hand on Simon's shoulder. 

Simon looked back over his shoulder. "Matt, if you're forcing yourself, I'll feel even worse." 

Matt's eyes shifted a moment, focusing on an internal battle. He finally looked at Simon and gave him a small smile. "Come on. Let's talk." 

Simon thought about leaving, but realized that he needed to talk to someone, and no matter what, he'd want to talk to Matt. Letting go of the doorknob, he headed over to the bed and sat down. 

Matt grabbed the desk chair and sat across from Simon. "So..." 

Simon fiddled with his hands, trying to figure out how to word everything. "It's Terry." 

Matt forced himself to not betray how disturbing that name was to him. "Yes?" 

Simon either didn't notice or didn't acknowledge the had the slight edge that had entered Matt's voice. "He's...he's helped me with so much, and tonight when his mom came, the look on his face...I just know something bad happened, something really bad." Simon looked at Matt. "I want to help him. Help him like he helped me. But I don't even know what it is, and unless he comes to me I probably won't find out." Simon looked back down at his hands. "What should I do, Matt? I want to help him, but I don't know how, or even what I'd be helping him with. Should I go over and find out? Should I wait for him to come to me? What should I do?" 

Matt bit back the first response that came to his mind, the one where Simon should dump Terry and go back to dating girls. _Stop thinking like that! You're his brother, and just because he's changed a little doesn't mean he's that different! I just have to accept that this is Simon, my little brother. And he's asking advice on helping someone he...cares...about. _Matt propped his chin up on a hand. _If I wanted to break them up, though, this is the time to do it._ He looked over Simon's face. _No. I couldn't hurt him like that, no matter how uncomfortable I feel._ His mind changed its focus, trying to answer Simon's question. "What does your heart tell you to do?" 

Simon blinked and looked at his brother. It wasn't the answer he was expecting. He wasn't expecting it on one level because he knew Matt wasn't comfortable with his and Terry's relationship, but also because it wasn't advice, it wasn't very guiding. "I don't know. It's torn. I mean, I want to go to him...but I also know that if something happened in our family, I would want Terry to be there for support, but not actually interfere." 

"So by that thinking, you should wait till Dax comes to you." 

Simon stared at his brother. _Did he just endorse my relationship?_ "What if he doesn't come to me?" 

Matt shrugged. "Ask a few questions, and if he changes the subject, it's something he doesn't want you to know." 

_Or something he doesn't want to burden me with._ Simon smiled softly. "Thanks Matt." 

"No problem." Matt stared at Simon, waiting for him to leave. 

Simon sat there a few more minutes, thinking something over. "What is it about me that...that scares you?" 

Matt sat up, startled at the question. "Nothing has scared me, Simon." 

"Something has." Simon leaned back, watching Matt. "You avoid me, you don't really talk to me, and I have a feeling that...you don't approve or like me any more." 

"Simon, you're my brother. I'll always love you-" 

"I said like, Matt." Simon crossed his arms. "You can love someone, and dislike them to your heart's content. I want to know why you don't like me, why you avoid me? Is it because I'm gay? Because of Terry? What?" 

Matt looked to the side, pondering the question. "You want the truth, Simon?" 

Simon's brow furrowed slightly. The seriousness of the tone alerted Simon that he wasn't going to like what he heard. _It could truly drive us apart._ He closed his eyes. _I'm tired of playing games, though. This way it'll all be out in the open._ He nodded. "Yes, I want the truth." 

Matt looked at Simon. "I've been avoiding you because I'm not sure what to think. I'm open minded, yes, but homosexuality is something that I was taught was wrong, and I thought I taught it to you rather well. I'm wondering if you ignored all the other lessons from me, dad, mom, the Bible, your family. So yeah, I don't approve, in fact I find the fact you're gay somewhat disgusting. Dax doesn't help much either. Not only is he gay, but there's things about him that, that just don't sit right with me. He's not someone I think my little brother should be hanging out with, much less dating. So if I've been avoiding talking and seeing you, it's because I don't trust myself, I don't think I can hide just how much this irks me." 

There wasn't much malice in the voice, but it still intimidated Simon somewhat. And Simon could understand where Matt was coming from. Matt didn't know it, but Simon had gone over some of those same problems in his own head. The conclusion was inevitably the same, that he couldn't change who he was, and just because he was gay didn't change everything about him. _But Terry warned me a lot of people can't see that._

Matt kept his eyes on Simon's face. "Aren't you glad you asked." 

Simon felt his heartbeat speed up just slightly. It always did when Matt was upset at him. He turned his head away, still processing everything Matt had said. 

Matt, however, discovered something rather surprising about himself. Now that he had said it, acknowledged just how much he disliked the situation, he felt better. _No Camden feels comfortable lying or hiding the truth._ As he realized this, though, he also realized that he may have just destroyed the connection he had with Simon. It had been three weeks, and everyone was starting to accept him, or at least, it seemed that way. _And I go and tell him how much I hate it._

"I understand." 

Matt blinked and leaned forward. "You do?" 

Simon still looked away, but nodded. "I do. You and everyone don't realize that I've imagined every scenario that could happen if you found out. I thought if I imagined the worst case scenario, then reality wouldn't be as hurtful." Simon let out a weak laugh, and Matt could tell there were some unshed tears he was holding back. "The truth still hurts, but I started coming to terms with the idea you, all of you, might hate me. It's just...when you say it, it hurts more than I thought." 

Matt sighed. Either Simon was laying the biggest manipulative guilt trip ever pulled, or he was truly hurt. _Serves me right. And I pride myself in setting a good example for the others._ Getting up, he walked over and sat next to Simon. Simon didn't move, and Matt patted his back. "Simon, you can't expect to know how it'll feel. And you can't guess our reactions. Each of us is taking it differently. I, I'm just having a really bad time with it. I kinda thought of you as my protégé, and then you go and say you're gay, and...it just felt like I failed as an older brother." 

"Because homosexuality is wrong." 

Matt flinched at the bitter response. "Yes, that's what we've been taught. But you're proving to all of us that it isn't necessarily a bad thing, and maybe we're the ones who've been wrong." 

Simon slowly looked to his brother. His gray eyes were moist, and one or two tears had found their way down his right cheek. "But not all of you understand, not all of you welcome me." Simon shuddered. "I wanted you, especially you, to understand. You're my big brother. Terry said it best: I idolize you. If you rejected me..." 

_That kid figured it out? _Matt wondered what else Terry had been able to deduce about Simon's relationships with the family. _He still idolizes me. And I can't keep pushing him away._ Making up his mind, Matt leaned forward and pulled Simon into a hug. 

Simon choked on a quiet sob and hugged back, welcoming the brotherly embrace. Sure, he could hug Terry to his heart's content, but nothing could replace the comfort and security that Matt could offer. 

Matt found that he didn't feel so bad about hugging a homosexual. In fact, he felt better than he had in days, knowing that Simon still looked up to him, and that he still wanted to be brothers. _Maybe I could give it a better try. Simon's extended a hand, it's time I took it._ "Tell you what." Matt pulled back and looked at Simon. 

Simon wiped his eyes and blinked, reaching for a kleenex for his nose. 

"Why don't you and I spend some time together. Get used to the new you. And maybe Dax every now and then. Maybe I'll grow more comfortable if I know him better." 

Simon smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that'd be cool." He blew his nose and tried to wipe off the remaining tear streaks. 

Matt chuckled and patted Simon's back. _I can do this, for Simon's sake, and for my own._

~*()*~ 

Terry looked around the living room. It was almost six in the morning. He had fallen asleep shortly before midnight, and judging by both the mess and the number of empty sake bottles, his mother and brother had stayed up until an hour or two ago. _Is it any wonder I hate nocturnal creatures?_ Sighing, he put his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling, ignoring the urge to clean the room. 

The three of them had stayed up late, the brothers listening to the stories of how their mother and father had met, the wedding, everything leading up to Jordon's, and even Terry's birth. The problem was, Terry wasn't nearly as fine as he appeared. The news had hit him like a cement truck, and while on the outside he seemed slightly upset and in control, on the inside he was crying, or screaming, or angry. He couldn't decide on a single thing except that he wasn't alright. 

Now, in the past he could go to Jordon, but this was far too personal to discuss with him. When he was younger, he confided in his sensei often, but the man had retired and Terry didn't wish to burden him with his troubles. His mother, well, there was no point in even considering her. Once or twice he had gone to therapists, but he didn't want to pay a fee and take time out of his busy schedule. So what did that leave him with? 

Simon was the first person that came to mind. Terry seriously considered calling him, but what would he say? He'd have to explain so much, and it might upset Simon as well. Besides, some of the feelings he felt he had to get out and dumping them on his boyfriend wouldn't be emotionally healthy for their relationship. Amber? No. She knew of the history, but she was not one for listening at great lengths without offering her own opinions. Terry needed someone to listen. Lucy popped up briefly, but Terry shook his head. Simon would be needing her more than him. 

So that left him back at square one. Closing his eyes, he let his mind wander, considering getting his flute and try to play his problems away, when a thought flashed across his mind. Later he would wonder if it was his subconscious or divine inspiration, but for now he knew what he had to do. 

Hurrying to his room to change into a biker's outfit, he grabbed his keys and helmet and left. 

~*()*~ 

Eric was surprised when he heard a knock on the door. He normally wasn't at the church at seven in the morning, but he had some work to catch up on and he decided coming in early was the best way to do it. Somewhat wary, he stood and headed to the door. "Who's there?" 

"Dax. Terry Dax" 

That surprised Eric even more. _What's he doing here?_ He opened the door and looked at the teen. "Simon isn't here, but-" 

"I know." Terry looked at Eric. "I need to talk to you." 

Eric blinked. "To...me? Not someone at your own church?" 

Terry shook his head, his hair waving slightly. "No. To you. To someone who doesn't know the whole story. I need to talk to someone I can trust to keep a secret." Terry looked into Eric's eyes. "Please?" 

Eric was confused, but opened the door wider. After Terry was in, Eric closed the door and sat behind his desk. Terry had already taken a seat across from him, setting his helmet and gloves down. For a moment, Eric could understand why Simon was attracted to Terry. _No wonder he's a model._ "So, what can I do for you?" 

Terry was silent, looking around the room. Then he looked at Eric. "First, I want your word that what we discuss not be told to Simon, or anyone, if you don't mind." 

Eric nodded. "Of course. Everything is confidential." 

Terry glanced around the room again, rested his hands in his lap, and sighed, tugging the cuff of his outfit. "I guess to start with, yes, this does have to do with last night." 

Eric raised an eyebrow. "And?" 

"Dad died." 

Eric rested his elbows on his desk, suddenly realizing how important this conversation was. 

"You can tell Simon that much, if you want to." 

Eric made a mental note of that. "So you're here...to make funeral arrangements?" 

"To tell someone honestly and truthfully what I'm feeling." Terry looked up at Eric. "To start with, my relationship with my dad was...cold, at best." 

Eric nodded. He remembered that from the dinner conversation and hearing snippets of Lucy and Simon's conversations. 

"Anik-Jordon, last year, told me to call him, to try and make peace. You see, unlike mom, he didn't accept my orientation." 

_No wonder he pressed for us to accept Simon._

"But it didn't start there. Dad was there for Jordon. He stayed with Jordon, took him to work, played with him. Jordon was dad's son. Then I was born, and he vanished, leaping into the world of the labs. Sure, I'd see him every now and then, but most of the time I caught glimpses of him in the morning and night, and that's it. When the divorce came along, he was all too happy to be rid of me, but fought for Jordon." Terry looked at Eric. "He lost, but that much was obvious." 

Eric frowned. He had thought Terry's father had been warmer when he had been younger. 

"Jordon says dad is the one who paid for my home schooling, my martial arts classes, all that stuff. Maybe he's right, maybe not. The point is, he wasn't there. I didn't get to know my father when Jordon had. He doesn't know, but I envy him for that." Terry looked away. "I'm rarely jealous, but it's one thing that's always upset me. And then mom went back to work, and Jordon and my sensei raised me. I never saw dad. Sure, there were pictures, but I never really knew him." 

Eric waited a few minutes. Terry was staring through the stained glass, obviously lost in thought, or waiting for the reverend's response. Eric had a feeling he knew what the next part of the story was. "And when you came out?" 

"He practically disowned me." Terry turned back to Eric. "He's from Japan, you see, and while they're more accepting, he came from a very traditional household. That's why Jordon and I have our mom's last name. His family never accepted the marriage. So while he could marry a girl about a third his age, he couldn't stand the thought of his son being gay. 

"Then came the day when I decided enough was enough and I went to see him and asked him why he didn't like me. He said he didn't like unknown variables in his equations." Terry paused at Eric's confused look. "In other words, I was the unplanned child and he didn't want me in the first place. He had only stayed with mom for the first few years to keep Jordon happy." 

Eric rested his head on his hands and leaned them slightly to the side. "It sounds like you have a lot of unresolved issues." 

Terry let out a bark of a laugh. "Yeah, I guess some would see it that way. I accepted he didn't like me, and I got over it." Terry's voice lowered, and again he stared at the stain glass. "But Jordon kept in contact, and he told me to contact dad, now that I was older, to try and resolve things, or at least thank him for paying for everything. I did in a Christmas card, and told him I'd be calling..." 

Eric nodded slightly. "At least he got your card-" 

"You don't get it!" Terry turned back to Eric, and this time there were tears leaking out of his eyes, dulling their golden brown color. "Last night was when we found out he died! He never got my card! He's been dead for almost four months!" 

That struck Eric. He sat back, eyeing the teen as he offered a box of tissues. "Why weren't you notified?" 

"Because he was changing his Will, starting with who was to be notified, except he only was able to remove our names. He never got a chance to put someone else on it." Terry sniffed, calming himself down. "I'm upset with myself for waiting for so long to try and reconcile, but I'm angry too." 

"At yourself?" 

Terry shook his head, almost violently, before answering in a soft voice. "Eric, he died four months ago on the eleventh." 

Eric glanced at his calendar. _January 11th. _He did some quick math in his head, and dropped his glasses as he realized the date. "September 11th?!" 

Terry nodded, not meeting Eric's face. 

Eric rubbed his forehead. _No wonder this is weighing so heavily._

"I've never truly hated anyone before. But...for the first time, I think I truly hated not just one person, but all those people." 

Eric scooted closer, leaning forward. "Are you sure? I mean, September 11th-" 

"Mom's a reporter. She knows." Terry wiped his eyes. "Every four months she receives support checks for me. When January rolled around without one, she called his lab in Kyoto. He wasn't there, and the lab asked if she knew where he was. It took her five days before she traced back where his last lecture had been." 

Eric knew that answer. "New York." 

"Yeah, at NYU. He was on the first plane. He probably didn't even realize what was going on, and my only consolation is that it was probably brief and painless." Terry's hands formed into fists. "But when I learned that, I...I felt something in me snap. I knew I was upset at all the unresolved stuff, and I knew that when the jerk died, I wouldn't be that hurt, but the fact that he died there..." Terry looked at Eric, fear and anger intermixed in his eyes. "When I found out, I wished I'd had the power to reach out and kill every last one of the bastards behind this. I wanted to rip their souls from wherever the hell they were and cast them into a true eternal damnation. And I realized...just how terrifying those feelings were." 

Eric nodded slowly. He knew of these reactions to 9/11, but had never observed one before. And watching Terry, he knew that if the teen could, he would do exactly what he said he would. "It's not uncommon to feel something like that when someone you love dies, even if you weren't close." 

"You don't get it, reverend. This was the first time I had ever wished death upon another person, and I meant it. I wanted God to strike out against the remaining people and make them suffer. I've never wished something like that, felt something like that. Not even when I learned my friend had committed suicide did I feel this much anger." 

Eric sat back. He could understand on some level. Hatred was a powerful emotion, and it was good that Terry had a fear of it. "I'm glad you're talking to someone, Dax, but it sounds like you need a therapist." 

Terry closed his eyes. "No, I don't. I can come to terms with not reconciling with my father. It probably wouldn't have happened, but we'll never know. I'm okay with the fact he died, though not so much with the fact no one knew or told his family in Japan or us and we had to find out so much later." Terry opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. "I'm not okay with those feelings. As someone once put it, 'this darkness that has entered my heart.'" Terry looked across the desk at Eric. "I'll cry a bit for my father, and for the families and victims, but I could give a damn about those who killed him, or their ilk. That's why I came to you." 

Eric was confused again. "Why me? What can I do?" 

Terry thought for a moment, then leaned forward. "You help people get over grieving. You help people recover from illness. Help me get over these feelings. Help me banish them from my mind and my heart. Reverend Camden. Help. Me." 

Eric felt uncomfortable under Terry's stare, as well as his statements. _How can I help him get over hatred? There's reading the Bible, but that doesn't sound like what he needs. _"I'm...not sure if I can, but I'll try." 

"That's all I'm asking." Terry let out a slow breath, his body relaxing against the chair. "To be honest, it helped to actually say what I was feeling. But...it's still there. It's hard to believe I'm capable of such thought." 

"We all are, from time to time." 

"I didn't wish that to them on 9/11. I even defended the Arab view in a debate. I was angry at the terrorists, but I never wished they were dead." 

"Perhaps once you realized how personal it was, your view changed." 

Terry nodded slightly. "I know other countries' views better than most, and I'd still argue the Arab position in some respects. But," Terry's eyes moved back and forth, searching for something, "but now...now I don't know who I am. Hatred is something that I grew up detesting, especially once I came out. Hatred is for the ignorant, for those who are prejudice and fearful. Hatred is what has caused homosexuals to stay in the closet, what causes wars, what God smites. Hatred was something I never experienced. And now that I have...I can't say I'm the same person I was before." 

Eric nodded. He chose to ignore the insult Terry had knowingly or unkowningly made, and concentrated on what was going on. "Well, I can suggest a few readings, and I know some ways to handle it. But hatred is something that exists in everyone. You've been fortunate in that you were able to suppress it. You can probably suppress it again." 

"But it got out once. What's to prevent it from escaping again?" Terry had a fearful look on his face again. 

"You. Your will." Eric paused. "You know what I think might help?" 

Terry waited. 

_I can't believe I'm saying this._ "Talk to Simon." 

"I can't-" 

"Hear me out, Dax." 

Terry went silent, eyeing the minister. 

"Talk to Simon. He's very understanding, and he can help you through this. And every relationship has its problems. So you have hatred inside you that flared momentarily. I think he'll understand, especially considering the circumstances. And, I think, it'll help you suppress your hatred that much faster."  
"Why?" 

Eric leaned back. "Because you don't want Simon to see it, or hurt Simon with it." 

Terry looked to the ground, thinking. 

Eric waited. _I can't believe I told him to go to Simon. It could truly cement them._

Terry stood, pulling on his gloves. "Thanks, Eric. This...has been helpful. I think you're right, though. I need to talk to Simon." 

Eric nodded, noticing that Terry seemed less upset than before. "And if you need to talk again, about your dad or this, whatever, my door's open." 

"I'll keep it in mind." Terry pulled on his helmet and headed out of the office. 

Eric sat there, watching the door, and hearing a motorcycle take off after a few minutes. The fact that Terry came to him was a huge surprise, but revealing something like that, exposing his vulnerability, it told Eric something. _He trusts me._ He sat back and rubbed the bridge of his nose. _I guess I need to start thinking of him as a friend. It'll certainly be interesting to see if Simon comes to chat._ Brushing the details of the morning aside, he looked at his watch, then at the desk. He sighed again. _Back to work._

~*()*~ 

Terry shifted his feet, waiting for someone to answer the door. As it turned out, it was Simon. 

"Terry?" Simon stepped out. "Are you okay?" 

Terry glanced back in the direction of the Camdens' church before answering. "I hope so, Simon." Terry sat on the steps, looking at his gloves. 

Simon sat next to him. He patted Terry's arm. "You want to come in?" 

Terry shook his head. He didn't feel like dealing with a bunch of people. "Can you come with me? I...I need to talk to you." 

Simon nodded and stood. "Let me get my coat." 

Terry stood as well and watched Simon run inside. He looked to the sky. _Help me get past this, through Simon, Eric, anybody. Just please forgive me._

"Ready." 

Terry gave a curt nod and headed for the motorcycle. 

~*()*~ 

That evening, Eric knocked on Simon's door. He hadn't truly talked to his son in a while, and considering the hollow look at dinner, it was time to. After waiting a minute with no response, Eric entered the room. 

Simon was sitting on his bed, hugging his pillow and staring at the wall. 

Eric closed the door and slowly made his way over. 

Simon tilted his head up. He had been crying, but was past it, and now was just upset, trying to figure things out in his mind. "Dad..." 

Eric nodded. "I know." He looked at the bed sheets. 

"I love you." 

Eric closed his eyes. _Nothing like a death to put things in perspective._ "I love you too, Simon." 

Simon went back to staring at the wall. "I've felt it too." 

Eric sat on the bed, following Simon's line of sight. "I think we all have, at one point or another." 

"I wish this hadn't happened to him. He deserves better. After everything he's helped me through...helped all those people through..." 

Eric squeezed his son's shoulder. "It's time he was helped." 

Simon rested his head on his pillow, his hair falling over his forehead slightly. "I'm going to help him. I'm going to be there for him, like he was for me." 

"I'm glad." 

Simon remained silent. "Thanks." 

"For?" 

"For sending him to me. And...just...everything." 

Eric nodded and continued to stare along with his son. "You're welcome." 

_He helped me discover who I am,_ Simon closed his eyes, picturing Terry within his mind, _I'll help him rediscover who he is._

__~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~ 

Aniki: older brother 

Okasan: mom, mommy, mother 

Ne: hey, right 

Author's Note: Hidoru is the father's first name. In Japan, it is customary to refer to someone by their family name first (in this case, Yaguchi, and let's all thank Luna for her help on that) rather than their first name first. 

Author's Prattle: As I stated last chapter, there's going to be a break from this fic for a week or two. With luck, I'll have also started my second 7th Heaven fic for you readers to enjoy. Also, I'm debating whether or not to write a brief chapter/side-fic to this regarding just how Hidoru Yaguchi and Gwen Jordon met, and glimpses of their life together. Anybody want me to? Just as a reminder, 7th Heaven and its characters don't belong to me, though Terry and his family (and family circumstances) are mine. Thank you for reading and feedback is appreciated! 


	13. Weekend Activities

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

__Chapter Thirteen: Weekend Activities 

  
"I really appreciate this, Simon." 

"It's no problem." Simon made up the cot by his bed. 

"You sure you don't want the bed? It's your room, after all." Terry was sitting on Simon's bed, watching him. 

"You're my guest. Besides, you gave me a bed each time I was at your house." 

"I don't mind a cot." 

Simon finished and stood. "Terry, we've been over this a million times. I'm sleeping on the cot, you're sleeping on the bed." 

Terry held up his hands. "Okay, okay." Terry stood and pulled the sheets back. "Part of me is still worried about your parents. I mean, they agreed to this, but the way Annie and Matt looked..." 

Simon crawled into the cot and rubbed his forehead. "Well, Matt's okay with you now. He just..." 

"Doesn't trust me in your room alone at night. Do they even know how we slept together that one afternoon." 

A flush crawled up Simon's cheek and he bowed his head slightly. "No, not really." 

Terry chuckled and lay back, putting his hands behind his head. "I'm glad you withstood my mom. A lot of people can't." 

Simon laughed lightly and turned on his side, facing Terry. Nearly a week had passed since Terry had visited Eric's office, and things were starting to get back to normal. If anything, the week had been one of the most interesting ever. 

Jordon had canceled Terry's jobs, giving him a chance to recover from the news of their father. Their mother, Gwen, had opted to stay, help get everything back to normal. Simon was curious what his mom was really like, as Terry explained that what they had seen that Friday night was a subdued version. On Wednesday, he got his wish. Apparently Gwen was just as curious about his family as they were about her. So Wednesday night, she had surprised the Camdens when she and her sons asked to join them for dinner. 

Noticing Terry's breathing had leveled off slightly, he rolled onto his back, remembering to that night just a few days ago... 

~*()*~ 

"So you're Simon! How cute. Terry always had great taste in men." 

Simon fiddled with his hands, nervous. Somehow, Gwen had managed to corner him alone in his dad's office. He tried to find a distraction, but couldn't. 

"So have you ever had a boyfriend before?" 

Simon stared at Gwen. "N-no!" 

"Mmhmm. And how many girlfriends?" 

Simon stuttered a moment, before shrugging. "Too many to count?" 

"Ever had sex before?" 

"NO!" _What is this about?_

Gwen blinked, unfazed. "Am I making you nervous?" 

"Yes! Very!" Simon crossed his arms and tried to avoid Gwen's gaze. 

"Well, you can't just expect me to let my son go out with anyone. Still," she tilted her head in thought, "ah yes. Do you have a job?" 

"Well, not really. I was a waiter, but that didn't work out..." 

Gwen waved her hand. "You're to good for that anyway. Well, that's all." She smiled brightly. "Shall we go join the rest of your family? I noticed you have a handsome older brother who, by all accounts, is big on protecting you. I want to rattle his cage a bit." 

Simon's head fell. _So this is what Terry was warning me about._

~*()*~ 

Closing his eyes, Simon inhaled deeply, calming himself down. Terry's mother had rattled more than Matt's cage. He rattled just about everyone, with the exception of the twins, who were too young, and Ruthie, who Gwen seemed to get along with quite well. Matt had even asked Simon if the woman had escaped from some sort of institution. Later, Terry explained to everyone she's sane, just full of energy and direct. Like his brother in many respects, minus the pep. 

Matt also had a strange look every time he looked at Jordon. Simon wasn't sure, but it seemed as if Matt was trying to place Jordon in a memory, like he knew him from somewhere before, but that was impossible. 

So Friday rolled around, and Gwen was off to the airport, stopping by to say bye to the Camdens, and especially to Simon. When Terry casually mentioned Jordon was staying at a hotel for a college conference, Simon wanted to ask if Terry could stay over with them, but he knew his parents would never go for it. 

He didn't count on Gwen's persuasive abilities. She sprung upon his parents like a panther on its prey. Within minutes she had them suggesting that Terry stay over, and all the reasons why. He'd never seen anyone coax his parents so well. But then again, Gwen was an international reporter. Coaxing people into doing things is what she did for a living. 

Thus, after a few hours, Terry returned with an overnight bag and a smile. Annie couldn't believe she had agreed to this, while Eric kept wondering how they'd agreed to it. Matt gave Terry a warning look, and Simon knew that if Terry stepped out of line even a sliver, Matt would be there to dish it out. Personally, Simon thought Matt was still sore about his sprained wrist, though Terry had apologized a number of times for it. 

Now, here they were. Terry sound asleep on Simon's bed, and Simon uncomfortably shifting on the cot. No matter what he did, he couldn't get comfortable. He didn't know why, as he had slept on cots before. 

After midnight, Simon was awaken by the call of nature, but when he returned, he watched Terry as teen slept peacefully on his side. After a few minutes of internal debate, Simon stepped into the room and shut the door. 

~*()*~ 

Matt stretched and as he exited the bathroom. None of the other kids had anywhere to be driven today, so he had gotten to sleep in. Robbie, of course, had gotten up early to help his mother with the twins, and Eric had gone downstairs to his home office. Everyone else, Matt noted though, was still asleep. 

_Including those two. _He looked at Simon's door. 

He wasn't completely comfortable with the idea of Simon and Terry sleeping together in the same room. It was no secret. He didn't like any of his siblings sleeping with someone they were involved with. Wilson and Mary was a prime example. When he had walked in on them napping together, he went over the deep end. 

Quietly opening the door, he eyed the cot, expecting to see a sleeping Simon. Instead, he saw an empty cot. Trying not to jump to conclusions, he looked over at the bed. 

The same deep end feeling from before welled up in him. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" 

Simon sat straight up, both frightened and alert by the tone and level of Matt's voice. 

Terry, on the other hand, sat up slowly and, through blearily eyes, looked at Matt. "Sleeping in. It's a rare thing I do every now and then." 

"Why are you in his bed?!" Matt crossed his arms, forcing himself to stay where he was. He wasn't sure he could trust himself if he moved towards them. 

Terry blinked, then turned and looked at Simon. "Do you know what he's talking about?" 

Simon hunched over a bit. _Obviously he's not fully awake._ "It's my fault, Matt. I crawled in last night. It's not like we did anything." 

Eric, having hurried up shortly after Matt's outburst and arriving in time to hear Simon's statement, got the same upset look as his eldest son. "No excuses." 

Terry yawned and waved at them. "Sa, sa. At least it was with me. Aniki and okasan sleep in the nude." 

Simon put his head in his hands. "That doesn't help, Terry." 

Matt shook his head and threw his right arm up. "What does that have to do with this?" 

Terry shrugged. It was obvious to everyone he wasn't fully tuned in to the world yet. 

Eric looked at Simon. "Would you get out of the bed, already?" 

Simon could feel another sex talk coming on. _Probably after Terry's left._ Getting up, he moved over to the cot. He scratched his chest, thankful he had decided to wear a white t-shirt to bed rather than go shirtless, like Terry. 

Terry, wearing only pajama pants, slid out of bed and stretched, ignoring Matt and Eric a moment. Staring out the window, he blinked a few times, trying to fully wake up. "Matt, Eric. It's time you knew." 

Eric stiffened. 

Matt narrowed his eyes. 

Terry turned to face them, placing a hand on his waist. "I held Simon when he was sleeping. I offer a sense of comfort and protection. Nothing more right now. It's like when you and Annie sleep together, but don't do anything. Or when Ruthie goes to sleep with Lucy or Mary." Terry grabbed the thin robe he had hung on the back of a chair and put it on. "I've slept with my brother for the same reason. We did nothing wrong. Now, if you'll excuse me, does anyone mind if I use the shower?" 

Eric, though relaxed again, refocused his gaze onto his son. 

Matt rubbed his face. _He has a point._ "Just lock the door or something. You don't want one of the girls walking in on you." 

Terry stepped between Matt and Eric. "Wouldn't be the first time a girl's walked in on me." 

Matt turned around, but Terry had somehow escaped into the bathroom already. _What did he mean by that?_

"You crawled into bed with him?" 

Matt looked back at Simon, who was staring at the floor. "What were you thinking?"  
"I was thinking that it was nice when I was at his house and he held me when I was having nightmares and...and how warm and comforting it was. I guess...I wanted to feel it again." 

Eric ran a hand over his face. "This is why I didn't want him in your room." 

Simon fiddled with his hands. "We didn't do anything, though." 

"That doesn't matter." Matt stepped forward and kneeled down next to his brother. "Don't do it again. Okay?"  
Simon was silent a moment, thinking over retorts, before he gave up and simply nodded. 

Matt looked at dad. The same thought went through both their heads. 

_He'll do it again. Just when he won't be caught._

Sighing, Matt stood and walked toward the door. He patted Eric's shoulder. "It's the best we can hope for right now." 

Eric didn't like that, but turned and left, acknowledging Matt's statement. 

Within minutes, Simon was alone. Leaning back and staring at the ceiling, he wondered why it was such a big deal. He just wanted someone to hold him. Nothing else. Shrugging, he stood and pulled out his clothes. He'd grab the shower after Terry, then treat him to a walk around the neighborhood. Away from his family. 

~*()*~ 

"You sing in the shower?" Simon had an amused look on his face. 

Terry's face was red, and his shoulders were hunched. It was slightly gray out, so he was wearing a denim jacket, which his hands were stuffed in currently. "Urusai. It's not my fault my brother got me into that habit." 

"You're good." Simon chuckled. "You certainly had Lucy spellbound." 

Terry elbowed Simon slightly. Both of them were walking along in Simon's neighborhood, two teens out for a Saturday morning stroll, their white dog leading the way. "Yeah, well, I bet you have Happy spellbound when you sing in the shower." 

"I don't. I'm smarter than that." 

Terry snorted. "You don't have a lethargic brother to keep awake." 

Simon conceded that point. He stopped as Happy sniffed a fire hydrant. "What is it you were singing?" 

"Change the World." Terry blinked at Simon's blank look. "It's the opening song to an anime series I watched in Japan once or twice." 

Simon nodded and followed Happy as she continued. "How'd you get to be such a good singer, though? You don't strike me as one." 

Terry laughed. "What? Smart flute players can't sing too?" 

Simon smiled while Happy stopped by a bush. He loved Terry's laugh, the pure happiness that radiated from his throat into the air. It was music, and to know he had caused it made him feel even better. "Well, no...but...I mean, with everything else in your life..." 

Terry nodded and patted Simon's shoulder. "I get what you mean. No, I learned it from, believe it or not, karaoke." 

Simon gave him an dubious look. "Karaoke." 

"Laugh if you want, but that's what my brother loved to do for his birthday, not to mention most holidays. And you know how younger brothers think." He winked. "We have to beat them at something they love, just to drive them nuts." 

Simon giggled. He knew exactly what Terry meant. He liked to show up Matt every now and then too. "So you beat him at karaoke?" 

"Like I said, drives him nuts. Sometimes he yells at the scoring machine. One of the most amusing things I've ever see." Terry looked around. "So where are we?" 

Simon blinked and glanced at the street signs. "Oh, um...well, I know we're not far from the house..." 

"Which house?" 

Simon tilted his head, brow furrowed. 

"Mine or yours? We're about half way between the two." 

Simon flushed slightly. He hadn't even known he was heading for Terry's house. _Must be a subconscious thing._ "Well, uh, why don't we head back to my house." 

"Good idea." Terry put his arm around Simon's shoulders and headed towards the Camden household, Happy walking next to them. "Tell me, what does your family do about Valentine's Day?" 

Simon looked skyward. _That could take a while to explain._

~*()*~ 

Annie looked towards the backdoor and Simon and Terry entered. She gave both of them a slight smile, though it went no deeper than her face. Internally, she hadn't smiled for weeks. She had hated it when Simon came out, though deep down she knew it was the truth. Nonetheless, she just couldn't acknowledge that truth. It went against everything she and her family was raised with. But her son, her beautiful, intelligent son, rejected that and followed his heart. She knew that his heart was right, but in her heart, it still wasn't right. 

Then Terry came over, and though she would never admit it, she saw a lot of herself in him. The protective tone he had used when defending Simon contained the same power her voice carried when defending any of her children. And the fire in his eyes had startled her, not just because of their intensity, but because it was like looking into a mirror. That fire had been in her eyes so many times that she couldn't remember them all. The fact that this stranger, this person her son claimed to love, had that same fire, spoke volumes. 

So she finally quelled the anger and fear within herself and tried to listen to the little voice telling her that Simon was right, that this wasn't wrong or evil. And she welcomed her son back home. Even welcomed Terry. Yet try as she might, she just couldn't get over her doubts. What if Simon truly was going through a phase, one that not even Terry realized was happening? Or what if Terry was using her son? 

And when did her son become such a stranger? That was the most disturbing part of the whole ordeal to her. She never suspected Simon was gay, never noticed any signs, and it hurt her that she was so alienated from her own child. She wanted to get to know him again, to help him as she had in the past, to talk with him and act as if nothing happened, like Lucy or Robbie had been able to do. 

Every time she tried, though, all she could ever muster were a few words. She didn't understand it, but every time she thought of something to say to start a conversation, her will to try left her. So she had tried to remain supportive in a silent way. She knew it was getting to Simon, though. 

"Hey Annie, need some help?" Terry hung his jacket on the coat rack and stood by her at the counter. "I'm a pretty good cook. It wouldn't be any trouble." 

"Oh, no-" 

"Really, I should insist. A thank you for having me." Terry smiled at her. 

Annie looked at the smile, then over his shoulder at Simon, who was watching them as he stood from releasing Happy from her leash. _If I say no, what will Simon think? But...letting him help me._ She had exchanged even fewer words with Terry, and didn't really want to be trapped alone with him. "Thank you, but as you said, you're our guest. I can't let you help." 

Terry hesitated a moment, his eyes staring past her, as if he was deciding on something. In the end he shrugged and backed away and looked at Simon. "So, why don't we get to work on our homework? I've got a ton of notes to catch up on." 

"Homework? On a Saturday?" Simon put his hands in his pockets, a sour look on his face. "Let's do it tomorrow." 

Terry shook his head and wrapped an arm around one of Simon's. "Come on. The sooner we get it done, the more time we have for recreation later. Besides, I promised aniki I'd at least catch up on my history today." 

Simon groaned, but let himself get pulled up the stairs by Terry. 

Annie shook her head. She knew they'd be back shortly. At breakfast, Matt had made it very clear that they weren't to be in the same bedroom alone for long. Looking back at the meal she was preparing, she wondered just when she would adjust to the new Simon, and what it would take to begin that adjustment. 

~*()*~ 

"And you're sure you're feeling better?" 

Terry nodded. He and Simon had managed to finished their homework by lunch time. Before either of them could plan their afternoon, however, Simon got a call from a classmate who was working on an English project with him. So, with a few apologies, Simon left, promising to be back in a couple hours. Terry had started passing the time with meditation, but Eric had come in shortly after he had started to talk with him. At first the discussion pertained to what had happened that morning, but now it had moved onto how Terry was doing, checking up on him after his admission last week. 

"You still seem a bit upset." Eric rested his hands in his lap. 

Terry, who was still sitting cross-legged on the floor, shrugged. "I am. I mean, it's not like something you can turn on and off. But you were right. Telling Simon helped. And knowing what could happen if I let it run rampant, knowing I could hurt him in some way, it certainly put things in perspective." Terry shifted his weight a bit to the right. "Simon's helping, too. He'd make a great grievance advisor in many ways." 

Eric chuckled at that. "Oh, somehow I don't think that'd work out for him." 

Terry had a small grin on his face. "But seriously, I'm working on it. I remember way back when I started martial arts that meditation helped bring inner calm and peace. I haven't meditated in years, but since last week, I've been trying it again, and that's helping too." 

Eric nodded, crossing his arms. "That's great. That's a perfect way to help you get back to your normal self." 

Terry arched his back, stretching his muscles slightly. "Yeah. Actually, if you don't mind, I'd like to try and get an hour in before Simon comes back." 

"Oh, well, of course." Eric stood and headed for the door. He paused there, then looked back. "By the way, Dax, do you mind sleeping in here tonight?" 

"I expected you to ask me that. Yeah. I don't mind." Terry closed his eyes and rested his hands on his knees. "See you later." 

"Right." Eric left and shut the doors behind him. 

Sighing quietly, Terry listened to make sure no one else was coming, before focusing inward. 

~*()*~ 

Annie looked at the alarm clock by her bed. _Midnight._ She hated it when she couldn't sleep, but her usual methods weren't working. Thinking of her children, counting sheep, even going over her mental list of activities to be done on Sunday hadn't made her sleepy. Her thoughts kept drifting back to earlier that day, to when she had seen Terry and Simon come in, and everything that crossed her mind. 

That evening hadn't helped either. Simon had returned, he and Terry had hung out for the evening, even doing the dishes together, and then retired to the living room for some impromptu music lessons. She was surprised Terry could play the flute so well, and Simon was surprised at how well Terry was able to help him read guitar music. Lucy had even joined them for a few minutes, putting in a couple requests to be played by Terry. 

Annie had stopped in the room with Eric to watch them for a few minutes. Though there was nothing visually going on, Annie could feel the affection passing between the two of them. It was in a look Simon gave Terry, the way Terry leaned over Simon to point out things on the sheet music, how close they sat to each other. The warmth felt good, and it was wonderful for Annie to see her son truly smile again. 

The spell was broken, though, when Simon looked in her direction. His smile seemed to fade, and she knew he could sense what she was feeling, and it ruined his happiness. _I don't want to ruin his happiness forever._ She had left the room after that, deciding to turn in early. 

Only she couldn't get to sleep. Sighing, she glanced over to her husband. _Sound asleep, of course._ Throwing the blankets back, she stood and put on her robe. _Maybe some warm milk._ She paused when she heard a noise in the hall. Listening carefully, she heard light footsteps head for Simon's room. _Simon never got up. That means..._ Frowning, she quickly, but quietly, snuck out of her room and down the hall. She spotted Simon's room, and noticed the door was ajar. _Caught you in the act._ Leaning against the wall, she strained her ears to pick up any sounds coming from inside the room. 

Humming was all she got. A slow, almost sad tune, it sounded like. _Why is he humming?_ Making sure her robe was closed, she opened the door and stepped in. 

Terry was sitting on Simon's desk chair backwards, his head resting on his arms, which covered the top of the back of the chair. He made no acknowledgment of Annie's entrance. He just kept staring at the slumbering Simon, humming softly. 

Annie was about to say something, when he broke the silence with a low whisper. 

"He's like an angel when he sleeps, isn't he." 

Annie blinked, surprised at the statement. "Yes, he does," she responded at the same volume. She walked over and stood next to the teen. "You're not supposed to be in here." 

"I know." Terry watched as Simon's chest rhythmically moved up and down. "I just wanted to make sure he was sleeping fine." 

"He is." Annie looked at Terry. He still hadn't moved from the position she had found him in. 

"You think I don't notice, but I do. He does, too." 

Annie put her hands together. "Excuse me?" 

"How you avoid talking with Simon, how you hardly speak to me." Terry closed his eyes. "You're uncomfortable with us, still." 

Annie glanced at Simon, making sure he was still asleep. "Let's take this downstairs." 

Terry watched Simon another minute before standing and heading for the door. As he passed Annie, his eye met hers. 

Annie recognized a challenge when she saw one. Exiting and closing Simon's door, she followed Terry downstairs into the kitchen. He had taken a seat at the table, a second chair already out for her to sit in. She took it and folded her hands on the table. "You're very observant." 

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist." Terry ran a hand through his hair. "Truth be told, though, I've seen the symptoms enough times to recognize them quickly." He looked at Annie, the challenging look gone from his eyes. "So what is it exactly that's troubling you about it?" 

"What isn't troubling me." Annie sat back and crossed her arms. "I've listened to your arguments, tried to understand it, watched how you and Simon act-" 

"And yet you are still unable to accept the truth. Why?" 

Annie bit her lip, thinking. 

Terry kept his eyes on her, gauging her reactions, trying to anticipate her thoughts. 

Annie finally made up her mind. "I don't know who my son is anymore. I'm not even sure if this is how he's going to be the rest of his life." 

Terry waited. "That's it?" 

"I'm...trying to quell the anger I felt, still feel, and the moral objections that are within me." 

"They're not easy, are they?" Terry leaned forward, resting his face between his hands. "It wasn't easy for Eric, but he did it." 

"He doesn't have the connections I have with our kids." Annie eyed Terry, sizing him up. 

Terry considered this. "And you feel you've lost the connection to Simon because you never saw this coming, never predicted or even prepared for this." 

Annie's eyes widened momentarily. She nodded slightly. "Yes. But...how can you-" 

"I told you, I've seen it enough times to recognize it." Terry sat up, resting his arms on the table. "The question is, since you recognize it, what's keeping you from working around it?" 

"Because he's a stranger, a stranger who may just be lost or confused." 

Terry shook his head. "Simon's made it very clear how he feels about me. It's not a phase, he's not confused. It's who he is." 

Annie looked at the table. "He's still a stranger." 

"He's still your son." Terry crossed his arms. "A son who needs his mother. He loves you, and it hurts him when you refuse to talk to him." 

Annie looked into Terry's face again. "I've tried to talk to him. It's not exactly easy. You try talking to someone you think you've known your entire life only to find you were wrong." 

"I have, both been the one who finds out, and the one that was different." 

Annie frowned, mentally berating herself for the dumb comment. "Well, then what do you think my problem is?" 

"Me." 

Annie blinked at that. _He's suggesting that he himself is the problem?_ "What do you mean?" 

"You're not accepting of me, and because Simon likes me, you feel that by accepting Simon, you have to accept me too." Terry raised an eyebrow. "Am I anywhere close?" 

Annie stared at Terry. _It...can't be something like that, can it?_ As she thought about it, though, it did make sense. She blamed Terry for Simon becoming gay on some levels, and Terry made her feel uncomfortable, especially with his casual attitude. "I can't believe it. I've been punishing Simon...because of my feelings for you?" 

"Just a theory. But maybe if you got to know me, came to like me again, you'd find a way to accept Simon once more." 

Annie suddenly felt like having some tea. Getting up, she grabbed the kettle and filled it with water. "How do you suggest I do that?" 

"Let's start with the first thing you're probably worried about." Terry leaned back and crossed his legs. "Am I using Simon? Do I intend to dump him?" 

Annie pursed her lips. _This must be what it feels like when I tell the kids what they're thinking._ "Are you?" 

Terry closed his eyes. "I would sacrifice my happiness, my life, before I ever hurt Simon like that." He opened them and put his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. "Could you make me a cup, too?" 

Annie nodded and pulled out two cups. "How do you know you'll never betray Simon like that?" 

"Because I feel that Simon is my soul mate. And he feels the same way. I won't hurt him. Not as long as I can draw a breath." 

Annie had to admit, that was an impressive admission. "You love him so much?" 

Terry chuckled. "Yeah, I do. Even in our song, there's a line that goes 'the water, the wind, the Sun, the Earth, the Moon, the Stars, I'd give them all to you.' If I had it in my power, I would just to have the smallest smile grace his face." 

Annie rested her elbows on the counter, finding herself actually interested in her son's relationship, as she had been before he was gay. "You two already have a song?" 

"When I told him the translation to the song we were listening to, he said he wanted it to be our song. Hitotsu Dake. Only One." He looked at Annie and smiled. "It's a beautiful song. I'll play it for you sometime." 

"Japanese?" 

"From a child's anime, no less. But he heard it and loved it. Who am I to argue with what he loves?" 

Annie nodded and turned off the stove as the kettle started to whistle. She was silent, thinking as she poured the water into the mugs. Adding the tea bags, she headed back over to Terry and set one in front of him. "Alright." She rested her hands on the mug, absorbing its warmth. "Let's give this a shot." 

Terry sipped his own tea, still smiling. 

The two talked long into the night. 

~*()*~ 

Simon blinked awake, disoriented for a moment. Glancing at his clock, and the early hour, he frowned. _What woke me up?_ While he and all the Camdens had to get up early to go to the church, he was usually allowed to sleep until eight. It was only seven. As he sat up, though, he realized what had woken him. _Bacon and waffles. At the least._ Throwing the covers back, he decided that he could forgo an hour of sleep for a warm breakfast. 

Stepping out into the hallway, he saw he wasn't the only one awakened by the smell. Matt and Robbie were looking towards the stairs, while the three girls were just coming down from the attic room. _Why is mom cooking something special, though? _

Eric stood at the top of the stairs, looking down. He turned towards Simon. "Is it a holiday or something?" 

Simon shook his head. 

Matt walked over next to Eric and crossed his arms. "Mom cooking a fancy breakfast. This worries me." 

Simon's brow furrowed. His mother wasn't the only one who could cook a killer breakfast, in fact as he recalled, Terry had cooked a wonderful breakfast the first time he stayed with him. His eyes widened. _Terry wouldn't...would he?_ Hurrying past his brother and father, he went down the stairs towards the kitchen. He vaguely recognized the sounds of his family following. He stopped at the foot of the stairs, a dumbfounded expression on his face. 

Terry and Annie were cooking breakfast. Together. In the same kitchen. And both of them seemed to be enjoying it. 

Terry looked up from the waffle iron and smiled at the Camden clan. "Good morning. I hope you're hungry." 

Annie looked up from slicing a banana for the twins, a small smile on her face as well. "Your mouths are open." 

Simon shut his mouth. He heard some of the others do the same behind him. _What's going on here?_ Simon took a step forward. "Is...everything okay?"  
"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?" Terry scooped out another waffle, placed it on a plate, then poured some more batter into the iron. His eyes moved from his work to Annie, and it seemed as if a silent conversation took place. 

Annie finally went back to finishing the twins' part of the meal. "Well, don't just stand there. Go and set the table. Dax and I will be there shortly with the food." 

Simon, still shocked at what he was seeing, picked up some plates and headed for the dining room. 

Matt, carrying some glasses, caught up with Simon. "What's going on with those two?" 

"I don't know. I wish I did, though." Simon felt along the edge of a plate, thinking for a moment. 

Before they could say anything else, though, the other Camdens filed through the door, followed by Terry, carrying plates of food. 

Simon took his seat, but watched his boyfriend all through the meal. _Terry, what did you and mom do?_

~*()*~ 

Simon leaned against the side of the church. The service had ended minutes ago, and he still had no clue what had happened between his boyfriend and his mother. Terry wouldn't even give him a hint, which worried him somewhat. Terry had always been honest since admitting his orientation. Through the entire service, though, Terry simply listened to the sermon, his fingers twitching every now and then as if he were typing or playing notes on his flute. 

As the service ended, though, Terry told Simon to wait. It was something important, he had said. Then he had left with the crowd, to meet other church members. Simon had waited a few minutes, then got up and leaned against the wall at the edge of the pew. After sitting for a little over an hour, he wanted to stand. He smiled and talked to a couple of the people, but after ten minutes, he adopted his neutral look and crossed his arms. Fewer people bothered him after that. After fifteen minutes, he closed his eyes, considering leaving and going to find Terry himself. 

"You awake?" 

Simon blinked and looked his right. "Mom?" 

Annie smiled and rubbed his arm. "I thought you and I could go talk." 

Simon blinked again. _She...wants to talk with me?_ Near the entrance to the chapel, he caught a glimpse of Terry nodded, carrying one of the twins on his shoulders. He shifted his gaze back to his mother. "Sure." 

Annie sat in a pew, and after a minute, Simon joined her. 

~*()*~ 

"You sure we should leave them alone?" 

Terry turned around, careful not to let Sam's head hit anything. "I wouldn't have told Simon to wait if I didn't think they should be. The church is practically empty. They have a lot to cover, and the healing has to begin somewhere. Why not begin the healing here, where so many become healed." 

"Healing by faith and healing emotional scars are two different things." Lucy shifted her weight, making sure David was comfortable in her arm. "And this is mom." 

"She's overcome enough of what was bothering her that I think she can reconnect with Simon. It'll take a while for Simon to be fully healed, but at least it will be healed." Terry sighed and looked up. "I think it's time we switched, little guy. Give your brother a chance." 

Sam didn't look too happy, but he let go of Terry's head. Terry set the twin down and took the other from Lucy. 

"It's really nice of you to do that." 

Terry grunted an affirmative as he lifted David onto his shoulders. "My brother used to do it for me. Gives you one of the best perspectives." 

"Matt did it to Simon once or twice, I think." 

"Bet he looked cute." Terry grinned. 

Lucy snickered. 

"What's so funny?" Eric looked between his daughter and weekend guest. 

Lucy waved her hand. "Nothing." 

Terry simply kept grinning. 

Eric shook his head and glanced in the chapel in time to see Annie hug Simon. "What's going on with them?" 

Terry turned around again, patting one of David's ankles to reassure the young boy he wasn't going to fall because of the quick movement. "Healing." Terry looked at his watch. "We should be heading back soon. I've got to pack and return to my house. I'm still picking up Jordon." 

"Right. I'll go gather the other kids." Eric walked off. 

Lucy patted Terry's back. "Well, that's the whole family." 

"Whole immediate family, any ways. I think we should keep the others in the dark." 

"I agree." Annie strode up behind the two teens, an arm around Simon. "At least for a while." She reached up and took David down from Terry's shoulders. "Come on, little guy. Let's get you and your brother into the car." 

David reached over and hugged his mom's neck. She walked off with him, while Lucy followed, holding Sam's hand. 

Terry watched them go. 

"Um, Terry? Thanks." 

Terry looked back at Simon, putting his hands in his pockets. "That was part of the reason I wanted to stay over, you know." 

Simon glanced around a moment, before stepping forward and hugging Terry. "I don't know what I'd do without you." 

Terry pulled a hand out and patted Simon's back. "I just want you to be happy." He pulled away slightly, then wrapped an arm around Simon's shoulder. "Come on. Your family's waiting." 

Simon smiled and put one of his arms around Terry's shoulder as well, before leading him towards the cars. 

~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~ 

Sa, sa: now, now 

Aniki: older brother 

Okasan: mother 

Urusai: shut up 

Author's Prattle: Well, here's chapter thirteen. I know it's not much, and in fact compared to some of my other chapters, it's boring, but it had to be done to show how Simon's full family came to accept him. We caught a glimpse of Gwen's normal personality, but I couldn't dwell on it, sorry. Not to worry, though! The next few chapters promise to be more exciting (at least, I hope so). I will say that the chapters will be coming out at a slower pace because I'm still working on my other fics, but also because I've gotten into the two college classes I needed, and that equals to about six hours of homework a day. I do hope to catch up to the TV timeline by Summer, though. 

Hitotsu Dake is yet another song from Card Captor Sakura, and one of the most romantic songs I've ever heard. I arrived at this song after pouring over song translations and listening to hundreds of anime and english songs. I would like to remind everyone that the Card Captor Sakura songs are from the anime, which is far cooler than the english dub. 

For a full translation, go to: http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/ccsakura/hitotsudake.htm 

If you want to download the song itself, contact me, or here's a link to download it from a website: 

http://download.server2.come2store.com/hikari/Card%20Captor%20Sakura%20-%20Hitotsu%20Dake.mp3 

And as always, Card Captor Sakura belongs to CLAMP, the manga artists who brought us Magic Knights Rayearth, X, and Wish. 

Finally, Change the World is the opening song for Inu-Yasha, a wonderful manga and anime series by and belonging to Rumiko Takahashi. She's also the creator of Ranma 1/2, another great (and funny) series. It's a very upbeat song, and it's definitely something that would keep a lethargic person from falling back asleep. 

Once more thank you for reading, and feedback is appreciated. 


	14. Passing Summer

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

__Chapter Fourteen: Passing Summer 

Simon ran a comb through his hair, making sure it was perfect for that evening. He had managed to snag the shower before anyone else in the afternoon, and hurried through it so that no one would complain that he had taken all the hot water. Tonight was the first night in weeks that he was allowed to go out with Terry again. 

He had been dating Terry up until May. Everything up until that point had been great, progressing at a steady rate. Simon had even managed to surprise Terry on Valentine's day, which wasn't an easy task to accomplish. His family had even supported him in more ways than he ever expected. His siblings had returned to treating him as they always had, which was a real relief to him, especially with Matt. 

He had managed to patch things up with his mom, and she was helping to run interference with the female crowd at school when they asked him for dates. As for his father, Terry had collaborated with him and Simon to present intermittent sermons regarding homosexuality and the acceptance of it in the modern era. Simon was worried about it, but Terry told him it was one of the best ways to make the transition from private knowledge to community knowledge. The first one had even gone over well with the parishioners, which was the biggest surprise to all of them. Terry and Simon's relationship was still private, though. 

And Terry's relationship with Simon's family grew stronger. Simon noted that, one by one, each of the Camdens had begun to call Terry by his first name, instead of Dax. The twins still called him Dax, but that was because it was easier to say. There were a few more sleep overs at both houses, but each time Simon and Terry slept in separate rooms, at least, as far as the Camdens were concerned. Simon felt confident Jordon would keep the fact that he sometimes snuggled into bed with Terry when he was staying at their house a secret. 

So, life had been going great. Until May hit. May, the month of Hell, as Terry called it. He still couldn't believe how stupid he'd been. Just because of that one conversation he'd had with Jordon. 

_"What do you mean I'm not allowed to see him?"_

_"It's just for this month, Simon. It's the actual AP testing period. Right now his life involves eating, sleeping, studying, and testing, and that's it. As we speak he's sleeping on top of his statistics book. Earlier he threatened to pound me if I bothered him while he took a nap. He's not himself."_

_Simon scowled, as if Jordon could see his face over the phone. "He won't be like that with me. I'm just what he needs to unwind."_

_"You don't get it, Simon. There is no time to unwind. The tests are daily. Sometimes he's in that cramped room for seven hours. He's been studying for this for a year. It's just a month, Simon. One week of studying, two weeks of tests, one week of recovery. I've been through this. I know of what I speak."_

_"I want to talk to Terry. Now."_

_"Simon, no. He'll call you when it's over, and maybe you can come over and watch some movies, but he's gonna be wiped after those two weeks. And keep in mind that while we're about the same size, I know kendo and own a boken, and I'm not afraid to use it."_

_"You're threatening me?"_

_"Plan a huge romantic dinner for when he's back. He'll have plenty of free time to spend with you when it's over. Now, I'm going to hang up, and I don't want you to call, or your family to call, or your friends to call. Not even his work is calling, and that's no small feat. So, one month. He'll be back." _

__Simon wrapped the towel around his waist and headed for his room. Looking back, it made perfect sense. Terry had been studying all year for this, and he had noticed that Terry was more stressed than usual in April. But Jordon had struck a sensitive spot. Not being allowed to go out with Terry? He faced that fear not to long ago when he told his parents the truth, and now he was being told that while his family had accepted him, Terry's family was keeping him away. 

The first week he went through it okay, though in a sour mood. His family noticed it, and Matt even stopped joking with him about the slow police car chase that had transpired in early February. His mother and father, and even Lucy had tried to get what was bothering him out, but he didn't want to talk. He was still angry. 

The second week, though, that's when it happened. That's when he screwed up. He was hanging around Morris, a senior and somewhat friend, and heard about this party his friends were having, and got himself invited. It was Friday, and he couldn't hang with Terry, so why shouldn't he go out and have fun? He even managed to convince his parents it'd be fine. 

It wasn't fine, though. He came home drunk. The worst part was, Simon thought that part of him deliberately got drunk. He was hurting emotionally, and needed to get it out. He knew he shouldn't have drunk what Morris' friends had given him. The smell alone alerted him to its toxic nature. But he didn't care. He was a man, and he wanted to get the pain out. He got more than he bargained for. 

He had gotten his siblings in trouble, as well as himself. And while he might not admit it to his parents, he did learn a pretty valuable lesson. He was on restriction for a month, which meant that even if Terry was available June first, Simon himself wouldn't be available until two weeks later. There was an exception to the restriction. The first week of June Terry had stopped by and talked with his father a moment. Shortly thereafter, Terry had come up and spoke to Simon about his irresponsibility. 

Being dressed down by a parent or sibling is one thing, but when it's from the person you love, it hits home threefold. Surprisingly, Terry didn't talk too long about it, nor was he harsh. In fact, he talked about first time drinking as if he had dealt with it before. Granted, with all of Terry's experiences outside of Glen Oak, Simon supposed it was possible he had dealt with this before. 

Terry wrapped up the little talk and hugged Simon, telling him they'd see each other at school, and that he'd be looking forward to when Simon could go out with him again. Simon felt horrible. He let his boyfriend down, and what was worse, as he discovered the next day, Terry had made plans for them that evening as sort of a celebratory dinner. He had even paid a small deposit for the table. Lucy told him all about it, as Terry ended up taking her. She finally got the date with the handsome model Simon fell in love with. 

Lacing his shoe, Simon glanced in the mirror, looking himself over. It was amazing how quickly time had passed since he had met Terry, and how much he had changed. He'd grown somewhat taller, and filled out a bit more. He also looked older than he was, more mature. Personally, he liked the look, but he wondered if Terry saw that too. Or did he see the teen he had first met, the one that was an idiot and got drunk. Simon wasn't sure, but he also knew Terry always saw the true him, through all the actions and looks, what the real Simon looked like. That was comforting enough. 

Matt knocked on Simon's door and stuck his head in. "Hey, you ready to go?" 

Simon grabbed his wallet and nodded. "Yeah, ready. Thanks for driving, by the way." 

Matt waved his hand. "Naw, it's no problem. Anything for my little bro." 

Simon raised an eyebrow. "How much?" 

Matt laughed nervously and stuck a hand in his pocket. "What? I can't compliment you without expecting something in return?" 

Simon simply stared at Matt. 

Matt sighed. "Forty, okay? I'll pay you back tomorrow."  
Simon shook his head and handed Matt two twenties from his wallet. "I'll need them back tomorrow, too. I plan to do some shopping." 

"No problem. So, let's get going. Terry's not going to wait forever."  
Simon rolled his eyes and headed down the stairs. He knew Terry would wait forever for him. He would for Terry.  
~*()*~ 

"You're going to Japan? When?" 

"First week of August. It's only until the beginning of September. I'm helping my brother move into his room and visiting some friends."  
"But...but we just got back together." 

Terry patted Simon's hand. "This isn't restriction. I'll call. You can even hold onto my cell phone to make sure I get through when someone's on the line at your house." 

Simon shook his head violently. "But I don't want you to go! These past six weeks-" 

"Have been hard, yes. But we have almost three months to spend with each other. Outside of school. Jordon and I have spent the last couple weeks packing most of his stuff up. We have a few more things, and then we'll be set, and we don't have to pack those until the day before we get on the plane." Terry looked into Simon's eyes. "There'll be plenty of time for us. I'm just helping my brother. This is a big step for both of us. He's going to Tokyo U, and I'm going to be here without a brother, without anyone living with me, for the first time in my life." Terry ran his fingers over Simon's wrist. "Though, having you here will make things a little easier." 

Simon blushed lightly. It may have been months since he and Terry began dating, but the male model always seemed to know just how to make him blush. "I don't like it." 

"Neither do I, really, but it's something that has to be done, so let's enjoy it while we can, kay?" Terry smiled and picked up the check. 

Simon sighed and drummed his fingers on the table. _He has a point. Might as well enjoy what we can._ "On one condition." 

Terry blinked, pulling out the money for the bill. "A condition?" 

"Could you let me pay more often? I feel like I'm taking advantage of you or something. It's just weird for me to not pay, and you've spent so much on me over the time we've met." 

Terry chuckled and placed the money on the table. "Well, you certainly know how to lighten a mood." He put his wallet away and stood, patting Simon's shoulder. "Yeah, sure. So, you want to catch a movie? Arcade? Or just hang out a bit?" 

"Hang out a bit." Simon stood and straightened his shirt.  
Terry nodded and headed off towards the night promenade, Simon at his side. 

~*()*~ 

"Hey Mrs. Camden." 

Annie looked to her left to find Jordon standing next to her, holding a half-full grocery cart. She smiled. "Good morning, Jordon. What're you doing here?" 

Jordon raised an eyebrow. "What does anybody do at a grocery store?" 

"I meant what are you doing here, in the store. Simon said you and Terry like to order food online." 

Jordon shrugged. "Sometimes I like to go shopping myself. You know, the need to actually pick up and look over what you're buying." 

Annie nodded. "I know what you mean." She leaned on her cart slightly. "But I thought Terry said you had a major paper to write. You wouldn't be avoiding it, would you?" 

Jordon ducked his head. "No. Of course not." 

Annie smirked. "Your family's as bad at lying as mine." 

Jordon stuck out his tongue. "So I'm avoiding my schoolwork. I'm allowed to do that every now and then." He looked at the shelves and picked up a can of pears. "I'm also getting ready to go to Japan. I love their cuisine, but every now and then I just need to have American food." 

"You're going to Japan?" 

Jordon blinked and tilted his head. "You mean Terry or Simon didn't tell you?" He tossed the can into the cart. "I'm moving to Japan for graduate school. Tokyo U, actually." 

"Is that a good school?" Annie started walking slowly down the aisle. 

Jordon followed at her side, scanning the food items on the shelves as they went. "Considering it's nearly impossible to get into and is practically world renowned, yeah. Better than Yale or Harvard." Jordon wrinkled his nose. "Those are too stuck up, and they pamper students too much. Tokyo U is fast paced, challenging, and keeps it friendly." Jordon picked up another can, this time of canned peaches. _Naw, they have peaches._ He set the can back down. 

"Is Terry going to follow you after he graduates?" Annie picked up the canned peaches Jordon set down and set them in her cart. "I don't think Simon would like that very much." 

Jordon shook his head. "He wouldn't be caught dead enrolling." 

"Why not? You're going." 

"But Terry's really different from me." Jordon looked at her. "You should know that by now. He's a model, I'm a research assistant. He rides a motorcycle, I drive a car. I'm going to Tokyo U, he doesn't want to leave the States." 

Annie leaned closer to Jordon. "That's the only reason?" 

Jordon sighed. "No. Dad went to Tokyo U. In fact, Yaguchi has a relatively long alumni history there." 

Annie nodded again. "So he has a personal grudge against it." 

"Basically, yeah. He partially blames the Yaguchi family for why he was rejected." Jordon paused. "You realize you can't tell anyone about this. Including Terry." 

"Yeah, I figured that out." 

Jordon stopped at the end of the aisle and looked over the meat counter opposite it. "I'm surprised you're in such a good mood. After last night, I mean." 

"What happened last night?" 

"You know. What Terry and Simon did?" 

Annie gave him a questioning look. 

Jordon winced internally. "Okay, forget I mentioned it." 

Annie grabbed Jordon's arm. "Oh no, buddy. You're not getting away. What'd they do? Not-" 

"No, no. Heaven's no." Jordon looked around, then moved closer to Annie. "Terry learned it from me, and I learned it from mom. It's kind of hereditary." 

"What?" 

Jordon glanced around again, then lowered his voice. "Terry gave Simon a hickey." 

Annie blinked. "That's it?" 

Jordon frowned. "Terry said last time Simon got a hickey you flipped." 

"Last time Simon was too young. And it's better than...well, you know. Considering how much those two are in love with each other, I guess it's only natural something like this would happen." 

Jordon relaxed and stood back up. "Well, I'm glad you see it that way." He looked at his watch. "I've got to go. Finish that report and all. I'll talk to you later." 

"Say hi to Terry for me." Annie waved as Jordon rounded the corner of the aisle. Then her smile fell and she shook her head. _Simon Camden you're in big trouble when I get home._

~*()*~ 

"Kouhaku! Sorry I'm late. I had a great dinner with Simon and slept in a bit so-" Terry paused, dropping his jacket on the table. "Kouhaku?" Terry stepped inside, looking around. "Amber? You here?" He frowned as he heard some noises coming from the clothing rack. Walking over, he pushed the clothes aside to reveal Amber, only the raven-haired teen was sitting on the ground with an upset expression on her face. He knelt next to her. "Amber? What's wrong?" 

"What's wrong? Nothing. Nothing at all." Amber wiped her eyes and looked at the ceiling. "The guy I've had a crush on for years is moving away and he hasn't said a single good-bye." 

Terry sat on the ground and crossed his legs. "You have a crush on some guy? Why didn't you tell me? We always tell each other everything." 

"Not in this case." Amber looked at her friend, her light-colored eyes filled with more tears ready to be shed. "He's very close to you." 

Terry sat back, resting his chin on his hand. _Close to me? Simon isn't going anywhere, it can't be Matt, we're not that close. My ex-boyfriends are all in a different town. The only other guy would be-_ "Jordon?" 

Amber nodded. 

Terry's jaw dropped. The model that had befriended him all those years ago was now admitting that, for all the time they'd been together, she liked his brother. "Why didn't you say something? I would've set you up." 

Amber chuckled darkly. "He's got Sakura, remember?" 

Terry could've hit himself. He had forgotten about the woman his brother loves. _So all those times I was telling her about Sakura...I must've really hurt her feelings._ "Well, I'm sure it'll get better and you'll find someone else." Terry rubbed Amber's shoulder. "Out of sight, out of mind, ne?" 

"Not really." She held out an envelope to Terry. 

Terry blinked and took it, removing the paper and giving her a questioning look. _What's this about?_ He skimmed the paper, and his eyes widened. "You! You're going-" 

"Tokyo U. Yeah." She chuckled again. "I tried the test just for the Hell of it. I never thought...I never thought I'd get in." 

Terry set the paper down. _She's going to be seeing aniki all the time, and with Sakura._ He shook his head. _Why didn't I notice it? I must be losing my focus with age._ "Well, it's a big campus...?" 

Amber gave him a dubious look. 

Terry held up his hands. "I don't know what to say, Kouhaku." 

"Anta no baka?" 

Terry nodded. "Yeah, in this case I am. I...have no clue where to begin. Or what I can do to help. Aniki and I try to stay out of each other's love life." 

Amber sighed. "To be honest, I don't know what you could do to help either. But...we're going to be on the same plane to get over there, we're going to be on the same campus, probably share a couple of the same classes. How am I going to deal with that?" 

"You could go to the Kyoto extension of Tokyo U." 

Amber snorted. 

"Just a suggestion." Terry looked at his watch. "You wanna blow off the morning shoots and go hang somewhere? Maybe get some ice cream or something?" 

Amber shook her head. "I just need to pull myself together. You do the shoot. I'll see you later." 

"You sure?" Terry hopped back up into he kneeling position. 

"Yeah, I'm sure." 

Terry looked to the ceiling and stood. "Alright. You have my number if you want to talk or anything. And even if I'm out with Simon, you can call." 

"I know. But for now..." 

"You just want to be alone, I understand. I'll tell them to find another model." Terry slid the clothes back into place and headed for the main studio. _Damn, I completely missed that Amber liked Jordon. I'm losing my touch._

~*()*~ 

"So he's going away for a month. At least you can still talk with him." 

Simon frowned at Lucy. "Way to be supportive."  
"Well, I'm sorry Simon, but you do have almost three months before he goes. I don't know why you're worrying over a lousy month that's so far in the future." 

"Maybe because I love him and I miss him when he's not around!" 

Lucy raised an eyebrow at Simon. "Really?" 

Simon snapped his mouth shut and his frown evolved into a scowl. "Really what? I've said I love him before." 

"Yes, but you've said you've loved lots of people. You're sure this is love-love, and not just crush-love?" 

"I'm sure. I've never been more sure of anything in my life." Simon crossed his arms. 

"So what's stopping you from telling him how you feel? It might change his mind." 

"Because he's going for his brother, and he wants to say good-bye. He's seeing his brother off."  
"Like we are with Matt?" 

Simon's scowl melted away and he looked at the floor, his posture slumping slightly. "Yeah...like we are with Matt." 

"If you could go with Matt to help him move in, wouldn't you?" 

Simon nodded, slowly realizing what Lucy was getting at. "Terry's going with Jordon, like I would with Matt." 

Lucy nodded and patted Simon's shoulder. "Now you've got it." 

Simon looked up at his older sister. "So it's selfish of me to want him to stay." 

Lucy sat next to her brother on his bed. "Well, a little, but you're also just coming out of a time when you couldn't see him for six weeks, and he's been the only thing on your mind. I'm sure that by the time three months pass, you'll be ready for a month break." 

Simon shook his head. "I don't think so, but I'll probably be more understanding by then." He fiddled with his watch. "Thanks." 

"No problem." Lucy stood and headed for the door. 

Simon picked up his guitar, the one Terry had given him for Christmas, and strummed it lightly, thinking over the conversation. _Wanting him to stay is selfish. But...I'm afraid that if he goes away...he'll find someone better._ It wasn't an unreasonable fear, considering that'd happened with a couple girlfriends he'd really liked. _I've got to trust in Terry. He wouldn't do that to me. He wouldn't._

~*()*~ 

In Simon's opinion, the summer passed way too quickly. A few days after his date with Terry, Matt returned home with information that he was going to be married. Simon was proud, though a little worried. Sarah was Jewish, and he wasn't sure how she, or her family, would react to the truth of his orientation. Matt fixed that dilemma for Simon by telling him to let Terry know not to reveal the truth, at least not yet. He would tell her after the marriage, after they were settled in New York. He just wanted his last few weeks and marriage to go as smoothly as possible. 

Simon was slightly hurt, but he understood. If the truth came out before the wedding, it could add strain to the conflicting families, at worse destroy the impending marriage. Terry had agreed to go along, and Simon and he went back to dating discreetly inside the Camden household. One thing that did irk Simon was that the wedding plans cut into his time with Terry, who would be leaving a day or two after the big event. 

Another thing that cut into his time was the arrival of Mary, along with two guys named Ben and Kevin. With the increase of strangers in the house, he had even less time with Terry, and it was more difficult to keep Terry to himself. The day after their arrival, Terry planned to take Simon out, only his plans changed due to the twins outgrowing their cribs. Terry came over to help, so that he and Simon would have some time together, but Lucy got to Terry first for her own reasons. 

"So, what do you think?" 

Terry pushed the kitchen door open slightly and looked at the taller brother, the one named Kevin. "Well, he's cute. Not as cute as Simon, but cute." 

Lucy crossed her arms. "You're biased." 

Terry closed the door and stood next to her, picking up the can of soda she had gotten out for them. "You asked. So he's a policeman, you say?" 

Lucy nodded. "Yeah. And his brother's a fireman." 

"I personally wouldn't want my boyfriend in either profession. I'd worry too much. But that's me. You'll do fine, I'm sure." 

Lucy nodded. "And Kevin said he's really good at what he does." 

"I'm sure. I've found that police officers tend to be a bit arrogant at times, and want to run the world." Terry smirked and patted Lucy's arm. "Something tells me you'll keep him in check, though." 

"Gee, thanks." Lucy rolled her eyes. 

Terry shook his drink a bit. "With everything that's going on with Matt, is he Christian?" 

"Catholic." 

Terry winced. "Ah, don't mention my orientation or Simon's to him." 

Lucy tilted her head. "Why not?" 

"Catholics are one of the strongest advocates against homosexuality, which is actually hypocritical in many respects, but that's another discussion." 

Lucy bit her lip. "That could be a problem." She set her soda down and crossed her arms. "Well, I'll tell him eventually. And he'll just have to live with it. Someone I love has to accept my entire family." 

"That's good to hear. Tell Simon to keep a low profile too." 

Lucy nodded. 

"Hey Luce, I-" Kevin paused when he saw Terry with Lucy. "Hello." 

Terry smiled. "Kevin." Terry patted Lucy's arm. "I'll chat with you later. Have fun, and don't do anything I wouldn't do." 

Lucy choked on her drink and whapped Terry on the back as went by. "Why you-" 

Terry laughed and exited the Camden household. 

Kevin looked between Lucy and the back door. "Who was that?" 

"Just a friend of Simon and myself." She waved her hand. "He's harmless. So," Lucy wrapped her arm around Kevin's, "what is it you needed?" 

The fact he had missed Terry that day upset Simon, but he was further upset by the fact that a couple days later Matt chose Robbie, who wasn't even true family, to be the best man. The day he had found out, he'd called Terry to complain, or vent, he wasn't sure which. 

"It's just not fair, Terry! I'm his brother! Why would he pick Robbie over me?" 

"I'm sure he has his reasons, Simon. And you should tell him what you're feeling. But also keep in mind that this is Matt's wedding, and no matter how entangled the families are, Matt and Sarah have the final say because it's their special day. Maybe Matt doesn't want to burden you with best man dealings so you can enjoy the wedding with him." 

"I doubt it." 

"Look, I've got to go get my brother. His car broke down, baka that he is. I'll be there tonight for the rehearsal dinner. Oh, and tell Ruthie I'm sorry again about missing that special memorial. But I did something in the name of that Sergeant." 

And then Terry hung up. Simon didn't mind. He had to think over everything that they had said. He decided in the end to talk a bit with Terry at the dinner before confronting Matt. Unfortunately, Terry never showed up. The next day Simon discovered why: Jordon wasn't at the car when Terry arrived, and Terry spent hours driving around trying to find him. By the time he and Jordon returned to Glen Oak, the dinner was over. 

Simon took Terry's advice, and let Matt have his way, making peace with himself and with Robbie. And Terry did have a point. He enjoyed the wedding more without having to worry about all the best man duties. And he even got to say a small toast to his brother at the dinner. After Matt and Sarah had left, he went out with Terry, and the two of them retreated to the Camden church. It was empty, so they had complete privacy. Terry brought Simon to the front pew and sat facing him. Simon could tell by the look on his boyfriend's face that he had something important to say. 

"Simon. I know you're going to be lonely while I'm gone, and I'm going to miss you. But I want you to know that, no matter what happens, I love you, and I would never leave and not come back, or pick up someone and forget about you, or anything even remotely like those. I don't want you to worry." 

Simon nodded. He couldn't promise he wouldn't worry. It was in his nature to worry about people he cared about, but he would try not to think about the worst things that could happen. 

"So you won't worry about me, ne?" Terry took Simon's hand and held it between his own, his golden brown eyes meeting Simon's gray ones. "It'll be alright, and when I come back, it'll just be you and me. I promise. Less work, less school, and more of us." 

Simon nodded and scooted closer. "I believe you." And he did. He knew Terry wouldn't lie. Not to him. "I love you." 

"I love you too." Terry leaned forward and kissed Simon, wrapping an arm around the blond's waist. 

Simon slid his hand out of Terry's and both of his hands found their way around Terry's torso. Neither Simon or Terry moved from that position, and Simon instinctively knew this was the last time they'd have to be with each other until Terry returned. So he enjoyed it, immersing himself in the moment. 

"Ahem." 

Terry sighed through his nose and pulled away. 

Simon's shoulders slumped and he turned to glare at the person who had interrupted them. 

"Son, if you're going to make out, can you not do it in my church?" 

Simon felt himself turn red. His father had found them kissing in his church. One of the best kisses he'd ever had. 

Terry smoothed his jacket and looked at Eric. "I guess we stayed a little too long." 

"Thirty minutes. I'd say you're understating." 

Simon's eyes widened. The drive over and talk couldn't have taken longer than fifteen minutes. _We've been kissing for fifteen minutes?!_

Terry looked at his watch. "I should get going, anyway. Aniki's waiting for me." He kissed Simon briefly. "I'll see you when I get back." 

Simon stood with Terry and watched as his boyfriend left. When he heard the doors close, he looked at his dad. "You just had to interrupt, didn't you." 

Eric crossed his arms. "My church isn't a make-out place. Now come on. We've been wondering where you vanished to." 

Simon sighed and walked over to Eric. "I just went out with Terry for a bit. He's leaving soon." 

Eric put an arm around Simon's shoulder. I'm sure it'll be fine, Simon. You and he had a great summer together, and he'll be back before you know it. And you'll have your license, so you can drive him around for a change." 

Simon nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. I'm sure you're right. He just...wanted to say bye." 

Eric rubbed his back. "Well, that was some good bye." 

~*()*~ 

Jordon looked up as Terry came into the house. "So did you say your good bye?" 

"Yes, I did." Terry sat on the couch and threw an arm over his eyes. "Then Eric came and ruined the moment."  
"Your moment ran over by twenty minutes. I've been here packing by myself waiting for you to get back." Jordon came over and sat next to his brother. "You've got it bad for him." 

"No wonder you're the genius of the family." 

"Urusai, bakayaro." Jordon rested his head back and closed his eyes. 

Terry didn't move. "You know what I was thinking when I was kissing Simon? It was the stupidest thing." 

Jordon tilted his head towards Terry. "You think of a stupid thing? This I've got to hear." 

Terry elbowed his brother. "Now who's the jerk." 

Jordon waited a few minutes. "So, what was it?" 

"What was what?" 

"The stupid thought you had." 

"Oh, that." Terry put his arm down and stared at the ceiling. "I was thinking that I was glad we had visited Glen Oak that one time, and that I liked it so much that I came back. If we had gone to San Francisco like you wanted, I never would've known of this place, never met Simon." 

Jordon watched his brother a moment before reaching over and ruffling his hair. "That's not so stupid, ototou." 

"It is when you're kissing the love of your life." 

Jordon wrinkled his nose. "Well, not too stupid. You think I haven't thought about how grateful I am that I ran into Sakura?" 

"When you were kissing her?" 

"A couple times." 

Terry chuckled. "So, how much is left to pack?" 

"Not much more. Just what we're taking on the plane." 

"I've been packed for the plane for days." 

Jordon rolled his eyes. "I'm almost done. We can probably just rest up tonight and finish tomorrow before we head for the airport." 

Terry stretched, but made no other efforts to move. "Do you ever think about that time?" 

Jordon scratched his nose and closed his eyes. "You mean the first time?" 

"Yeah." 

"Every now and then I see something that reminds me of it, yeah." 

"Things have changed since then." 

"It's only been four years." 

"A lot can happen in four years. Your hair went back to normal, for one thing." 

Jordon rested his arms on his chest. "True. Then you went and dyed it blue." 

Terry shrugged as an apology. "Sometimes I miss that time. Things were so much simpler, then." 

"For you, maybe." 

Terry smirked. "Oh, I don't know. Now that I think about it, school was a bit of a hassle." 

"Oi. I remember that." 

Terry yawned. "Well, let's get some sleep before tomorrow." 

Jordon glanced at his watch. "It's tomorrow, ototou." 

"Then let's get some sleep before dawn." Terry yawned again, then he fell over against his brother. "Night." 

Jordon pushed at Terry slightly before giving up and getting himself comfortable enough to sleep. "Night." 

As Terry was drifting to sleep, memories of four years ago invaded his dreams... 

~*()*~ 

After all that time, Terry still couldn't believe his brother had returned from Japan. Two years, had passed, and Terry could only stare at how much his older brother had changed. More specifically, he was staring at how much his brother's hair had changed. 

And the staring was getting to Jordon. "What?" 

"I just can't believe...you bleached it. You, of all people." 

Jordon shrugged. "I wanted to separate myself from the other students." 

"But bleaching it?" 

"The gaijin look is in, that's all." 

Terry sighed and reached over, fingering the thin pony tail that was tied and resting on Jordon's shoulder. "And long hair?" 

Jordon batted Terry's hand away. "You wouldn't understand." 

"Try me." 

Jordon closed an eye, thinking. "How can I put this in terms you'd get." He snapped his fingers. "The Tamahome look is in." 

Terry snorted. "I'm not a kid, and neither are you." 

"Hey, it's true, though." Jordon ruffled his brother's short hair. "You should try long hair. It'd probably make you even more popular with the girls." 

"I don't want to be more popular with girls, aniki. That's your department." 

"Oh yeah, the whole gay thing." 

"'The whole gay thing?' You're gone for two years, hardly visit, and you think my orientation is a casual, unimportant thing?" Terry whapped Jordon's arm. "Hidoi." 

Jordon laughed. "I'm kidding. You're my little brother. It's my job to tease you." 

Terry growled. "Sure, Jordon. Poke the bear." 

Jordon's laughter died down to a chuckle. "Seriously, try it long. It's going to be the in thing in America." He brushed Terry's hair back. 

Terry pulled his head away and decided to change the subject. "So, you excited?" 

The laughter died completely and Jordon grumbled. He and his brother were sitting in first-class on a flight from San Diego to a small city. He crossed his arms and his face took on a pout. "I'd rather be going to San Francisco. There's more to do there." 

"We've been to SF before. And you've been in a big city for two years. I'd think you'd want to get out of it." 

"Well, I don't. I like big cities." 

"Tough. I've been living in a cramped apartment with my sensei and an impersonal big city. I've never even been to a small town." 

"The apartments were never cramped. And small towns are dull. Absolutely nothing exciting happens." 

"Well I have two weeks to kill, and mom wants me to see what public school is like in case sensei can't return." 

Jordon choked on the water he was drinking. "You? Public school?" 

Terry handed Jordon a napkin. "What? I can cut it." 

"Yes, but can they cut you? Not many thirteen-year-olds are gay models." 

"What's that got to do with anything?"  
Jordon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ototou, since you've lived in LA for the past six months, this'll come as a big shock. Most early teenagers aren't like you. And most small towns are homophobic and entertainment-phobic. I'd keep your orientation and job hidden." 

Terry rubbed his eyes. "Fine." 

Jordon leaned back and looked out the window. "So what's the name of this forsaken place?" 

"It's not forsaken. It looks really nice and friendly. And it's called Glen Oak." 

~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~ 

Kendo: Japanese fencing 

Boken: wooden sword 

Kouhaku: Amber 

Ne: right 

Aniki: older brother 

Baka: idiot 

Urusai: shut up 

Bakayaro: jerk 

Ototou: little brother 

Gaijin: foreigner 

Hidoi: mean 

Anta no baka: Are you an idiot 

Author's Prattle: Yes, I know, this chapter came out way too fast, but it had to be done. I tried to tie into the timeline, but I had to make some assumptions of timing of episodes. And to those I promised to reveal the brothers' past in Glen Oak, I'm afraid it's going to have to wait until part two. Again, I don't know when it'll be out, but considering the writing streak I'm having with this fic, it could be as soon as the end of the month. Tamahome is a character from Fushigi Yugi, another anime (I'm just throwing them in left and right, aren't I?) by Yu Watase. And let's thank Luna once more for helping me with the Japanese. Ah well. As always, please review! 


	15. Reminiscing

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

__Chapter Fifteen: Reminiscing 

Terry yawned and stretched, scratching his chest and blearily taking in the room around him. The plane he and his brother had been on had been slightly delayed, and by the time they reached their mother's apartment in Glen Oak, both were exhausted. His older brother, Jordon, was lying next to him, still dead to the world. 

_How he made it two years in Japanese schools I'll never know. Then again, they start later there than they do here._ Crawling out of bed, he looked down at his pajamas, royal blue with a black band running across his chest and expanding to encompass the sleeves. They weren't his favorite, but his mom liked how they brought out the intensity of his golden brown eyes. _I wonder if mom's going to be stopping by while I'm visiting._ He doubted it, but with his mother, one could never be sure. 

Glancing at his sleeping brother, he decided to let Jordon rest a little longer. _I'll get to explore without him raining on my parade._ Terry was rather looking forward to exploring the small town. He had read how smaller towns were more tightly knit, how people knew almost everyone, rather than just a couple people who lived immediately nearby. It was a concept almost foreign to him, having been in a small town only one other time in his life when he was five. His memory was pretty good even at that age, but he was focused more on winning the video games he was playing with Jordon than on the town itself. 

_I wonder why mom has an apartment here, anyway. If Jordon's right, she'd have nothing to write about here._ Padding out of the room, he entered the kitchen and opened the fridge. As with most places their mother kept, their three day notice of arrival allowed the landlord to buy some groceries and stock them, as well as turn on the electricity and water. _Maybe she comes here to unwind. It seems like a quiet place. _He tried to imagine his mom living among quiet, peaceful people, and winced. _Maybe not. But then why?_

Pulling out a carton of orange juice, he set it on the counter and went about looking for a cup. Sure enough, he found the paper and plastic utensils. _I wonder if I have enough to go out to breakfast._ Unlike most thirteen year olds, his short but successful six-year career of modeling left him with a nice balance in the bank. Unfortunately, most of it was kept in trusts and savings accounts, and he was kept on a weekly allowance of no more than a couple hundred dollars. _I think I do. It's not like I bought much before I left._ Drinking the glass of juice he poured, he headed for the bathroom. _I'll just leave aniki a note. Not like he'll wake up for a few hours, anyway._

~*()*~ 

Stepping outside into the crisp winter air of Glen Oak, Terry looked around, trying to get his bearings. Unlike Los Angeles or Atlanta or Denver, there wasn't a rush of traffic on the road, there were no obvious signs of buses or cabs. In fact, to Terry, it was eerily quiet. _It's like I stepped into a town in the Outer Limits or something._ Looking at the map he had grabbed at the airport the night before, he glanced left and right, and headed towards the right, which the map indicated would take him to downtown. 

Now, the apartment complex was in a quiet, upper-scale area of Glen Oak, and therefore was about a mile from the main downtown area. Terry, however, wasn't worried. He had learned how to get around on his own without mass transit a long time ago. His sensei had insisted on it. 

Roller blades. 

Okay, so he knew that a young teen on roller blades might look strange, even laughable, but he found that, compared to Philadelphia traffic, he could beat bus time by ten minutes. His personal best was a mile in eight minutes, though that was just on a track, not a place with sidewalks and corners and traffic lights. 

But a mile was still a mile, and within twenty minutes, he had found the outskirts of downtown Glen Oak. He was surprised to see so many shops closed, until he realized that he was still running on his internal clock, which had awoken him at 6:30. It was barely 7:15, now, and even some of the bakeries hadn't yet opened. _In a city they would've been open at five, selling no more than thirty minutes later._ He chided himself at the thought. _This isn't the city. You're here to experience small town life. _

At least there were some things that never changed. Tucked between two stores was a tiny coffee shop, open and bustling with business. Part of it was outdoors, and he was thankful for that. He'd found some places were rather anal about roller blades inside, even if it was for only a minute or two. 

As he ordered, he wondered why all the adults were giving him strange looks. It wasn't as if he was ordering anything strange. An orange juice and a croissant, something to tide him over until he found a restaurant. He looked over his outfit, loose fitting blue jeans and a tan turtleneck. It was one of his more casual outfits he had gotten from a clothing ad shoot he had done. _Nothing wrong there. What's so strange, then?_

Paying for his order, he skated over to a small table and sat down, removing his helmet so he could eat comfortably. He didn't rush, rather he ate leisurely, observing all the adults eyeing him, whispering about him. He was used to the attention from people his own age, unable to believe he was a model, and adults who found out he was gay. But this community had no knowledge of either fact, so it was slightly disconcerting that they still paid so much attention to him. 

Sighing, he sipped his orange juice and decided to focus on the city, rather than the people. Most of the buildings had obviously been there since the beginning of the town, though renovated for modern conveniences. Owners who stepped out of their just opening stores paused to talk with people walking by, a sight that he had only seen with family-owned businesses in the city, and only with other family members. People seemed to move at a more leisurely pace, too. There was no real rush at this early hour of the morning, so unlike what he was used to. 

He got the Outer Limits feeling again when something caught his eye. It was another person staring at him, a group of persons whispering and looking at him. Except they weren't adults, they were kids, some his age, some older, some younger. Each had a bag, mostly backpacks, and were walking to school. It suddenly hit him why the adults were giving him strange looks. He had simply forgotten what day it was: Friday. All other kids had school to attend. He wouldn't be visiting a school until Tuesday of next week, and his brother didn't start till Monday. _They're wondering who I am and why I'm out so early, in no rush to get to class._

He had never personally had to worry about class schedules. Sure, his sensei kept a rigid outline of what he was to accomplish and by what time in the day, but with the exception of a few deadlines, there wasn't any real set schedule. He could learn about math at eight in the morning, or four in the afternoon, depending on what he felt like. Even testing wasn't as strict as the school schedules seemed to be. 

Jordon's comment on the plane came back to him, and he narrowed his eyes. _Why did he say he wasn't sure if public schools could handle me? I'd be the best student there, getting up early, focused, on task. Hell, I try and get my work done early to move onto the next subject._ Realizing his juice bottle was empty and he had finished his pastry, he strapped his helmet back on and deposited the plate and bottle in the trash. Leaning against a lamp post, he pulled out the map and eyed it, debating where to go. After a minute, he put the map back in his pocket and took off, heading in the opposite direction of the kids going to school. 

_I know why I'm not going to private school. Mom doesn't want me to deal with religious bigots. But why is Jordon worried about me in public school? It just makes no sense._

His eye caught a sign and he double backed, using another lamp post to swing around, and stopped at the edge of the block. Across the street was a breakfast diner. Before he could cross it, however, a police car stopped by the curb. 

"Can I help you, son?" 

Terry immediately tensed. Police rarely interacted with citizens unless they were in trouble in the city. _What'd I do?_ "Um, no, not really." Terry looked at the officer, an African-American one. _Ha, aniki. You said that most small towns hadn't evolved into the racial equalities of cities. So much for your theory._ He searched for a name tag. "Thanks anyway, Sergeant Michaels." 

The officer looked surprised, but the look quickly passed and he returned to his friendly, though impassive, face. "Are you sure? You're not heading for school. Are you lost? Sick?" 

Terry furrowed his brow. "No. If I were lost or sick, I'd call my brother to help me." He crossed his arms and eyed the officer. "I'm out to get a decent breakfast, then wander a bit. Nothing exciting." 

"You're supposed to be in school, son." 

_Son?_ Terry knew it was a term to be taken as a friendly association, but it irked him. Possibly because he had never been called 'son' before, or perhaps it was the fact that a male figure was calling him that, when his own father never had. "No, I'm not. I go to school Tuesday." _Why is this Michaels so interested in what I'm doing? I don't see any steel grates or fences on the storefronts, so crime isn't an issue here._

"Till Tuesday?" 

Terry sighed. The croissant he'd had was beginning to fail at keeping his hunger at bay. "Yes, Tuesday. I just got into town last night." _Not that it's any of your business._ Terry blinked. _Or...is it? Does being in a small town mean that everything is everybody's business? No, that can't be right._

"Ah, so you're visiting. Do you need help getting around?" 

Terry shook his head and pulled out the map he had used. "I'll be fine." He hesitated. "Thanks for your concern, but I'm fine, just hungry. So if you don't mind..." Terry flitted his eyes across the street. 

Sergeant Michaels looked across as well, smiling briefly and nodding. "Okay, just wanted to check. Welcome to Glen Oak." 

Terry smiled back, then glanced both ways and skated across the street, looking back at the police car as he reached the door. _They certainly aren't as rude as city cops._ With that, he entered the restaurant. 

~*()*~ 

"Pardon me, but are you lost?" 

Terry tried his hardest not to scream. He was beginning to understand why Jordon hated small towns. Almost everyone he'd seen had asked if he was lost, or okay or cutting school or some other nonsense. He was running out of his seemingly endless patience. "I'm fine. Just about to head home." It wasn't a lie. At the moment he was on his way to return to the apartment. "Excuse me." He skated around the woman and put on as much speed as he could, wanting to get back to the safety of where he was staying. 

"Look out!" 

Terry glanced at the man who had called out, and noticed a car pulling out in front of him. _Teme..._ Crouching, he pushed himself off the ground and into the air, landing on the trunk for a moment, and jumping again back onto the sidewalk. "Sorry!" Yet another trick he had learned in the city. When his brother had seen it, he had forbidden Terry to do it again because it was a risky maneuver. Even his sensei agreed with Jordon. _But they don't get it. Sometimes there's no time to break._ So every now and then, he used the technique. Hey, he learned martial arts, why not apply them to something other than fighting? 

By the time he got home, he noticed the clock was reaching one in the afternoon. Unbuckling his roller blades, he looked around, trying to see where his brother was. "Tadaima!" No response came, and Terry tilted his head, trying to hear if the water was running in the bathroom. _Oh great._ Tossing his skates to the side, he went into the bedroom, finding Jordon still fast asleep. _When he sleeps, he sleeps._ Sighing, he sat by Jordon. "Aniki, time to get up." 

"Mm..." 

"Aniki, I'll do something you hate if you don't get up." 

"Go'way." 

Terry rubbed his hands together and stood up. "Last chance, aniki." 

Jordon pulled the pillow of his head. "Lemme'lone." 

Terry shrugged. "I tried." He took a deep breath. "FIRE!" 

Jordon didn't move. 

Terry frowned. "Guess I've used that one too many times." He rubbed his chin. _Water just soaks the sheets, ice, well, same problem. I could push him off the bed, but then he's cranky._ Inspiration struck him. "Oh well, I guess I'll have to tell Sakura that you can't see her today." 

Jordon sat straight up and jerked his head around, scanning the room. "Sakura? Doko? Doko? Doko?" 

Terry laughed at the confused look on his brother's face. "Geeze, aniki. That's pathetic." 

Jordon blinked a few times before he realized what Terry had done. "Hey! Bakayaro!" He whapped Terry with the pillow. 

Terry stopped laughing, staring at his brother. A slow grin spread across his face. "Baka." Terry's arm lashed out and grabbed the other pillow, and a pillow war had begun. Before long the brothers here panting and watching each other warily, clutching their cushy weapons, and both grinning. "Truce?" 

"Truce." 

Jordon and Terry slowly set the pillows down. Jordon relaxed and turned around. 

Terry whacked Jordon again. 

"Hey!" 

"If you were more mature you would've seen that coming." Terry stuck out his tongue and tossed the pillow to the side. "I can't believe how late you sleep." 

Jordon stretched. "You have early shoots. I have late study sessions. It's something you'll get used to when you hit college." 

"Uh huh. You're not even in college yet, baka." Terry glanced behind Jordon. "Um, aniki, you do know that your nude." 

Jordon looked over his shoulder. "I always sleep nude." 

"Yes, but you're stretching in front of an open window." 

Jordon let out a strangled cry and grabbed his boxers. "Why didn't you close the blinds?!" 

"I thought the sun would wake you up." 

Jordon put on his underwear and searched for his robe, shooting Terry a look. "When has the sun ever woken me up?" 

Terry thought about it a moment. "Okay, point taken. But you have been gone two years, in my defense." 

"What defense?" Jordon shrugged on his robe. "So what's for breakfast?" 

"Lunch." 

"Whatever." 

"Whatever you fix. I ate out." 

"You went out?" 

"Yes." 

"On your own?" 

"Oh stop being a protective brother. I handled everything fine." Terry crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "It's not like it's as dangerous as New York. This place is probably the safest place in the world. I had everyone asking me if I was lost or sick or something." 

"Annoying, isn't it." 

Terry growled softly. "Yeah, somewhat. But other than that, it's a quaint little town." 

"We still have time to go to San Francisco. We're mostly packed and a plane ticket isn't that much." 

"No." Terry headed towards the living room to get his bag. "It still seems really nice. I'm staying, and if I'm staying, you're staying." 

"Yeah, I know." Jordon stumbled towards the living room. "After I eat-" 

"And shower."  
Jordon looked at the ceiling. "-and shower, I'm going to head to the high school and grab the books I'll need." 

"Check out some places we can hang out, too. If school bombs, then I'll need a place to kill time." 

"If school bombs," Jordon poured himself a bowl of cereal, "you're hanging out here and finishing up your homework." 

"Do I really have to?" 

"The Tale of Genji is a beautiful novel, ototou." 

"You're about to dip your ponytail into your milk." 

Jordon pushed his hair over his shoulder. "Just do it. I had to read novels I hated. At least you're given a choice of novels. No school I know of allows you to read Dune as an assignment." 

"Dune was cool. This isn't." 

"Have you even started it?" 

Terry shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well, not really, no." 

"Try reading it before you judge it." 

Terry sighed. "Hai, hai. I'll see you when you get back." 

"Right." 

Terry went to his bag and dug through it. _I hope school has interesting books to read._

~*()*~ 

"Tadaima!" 

Terry glanced up from the book in front of him and tilted his head. He pulled off his earphones and listened. 

"Tadaima, ototou!" 

"Okaerinasai!" Terry put the earphones back on and went back to reading. A few minutes later he felt Jordon sit by him on the bed and pause the CD player. 

"Whatcha listening to?" 

"The Best of Gravitation." 

"Ohhh." Jordon removed the earphones and looked at the book. "Fury Invasion? I thought you were going to try reading The Tale of Genji." 

"I will eventually. This looked good, though." 

Jordon picked up the book and skimmed the pages Terry was on. "Careful, you'll blow your mind with these time paradoxes." 

Terry stuck out his tongue and took the book back. "Urusai. And why're you in such a good mood?" 

"Well, I stopped by this place called The Pool Hall." 

"So? You hate pool. I hate pool." 

"Well, it's also a restaurant where older kids hang out." 

"Uh huh. So why would I care?" 

"Well, you might care that Friday nights at ten, it's karaoke night." 

Terry sat up. "Karaoke! Wai! Can we go tonight?" 

"Tonight they're having a theme night. Great heroes of football or something. But next week it's back to normal." He tilted his head and grinned. "Wanna come with me to sing?" 

"Yeah! Sensei never took me to do karaoke." 

"I've been going for two years. Had tons of fun with my friends." 

"Lucky." 

"Yeah." 

Terry placed a bookmark in the book and crossed his legs. "What about church? Do you know of any we could go to?" 

"I was thinking we could check out churches tomorrow. Print out a list of them in the area, and you take half to check out, and I'll take the other half." 

Terry nodded. "Good thinking." He poked Jordon in the side. "That means waking up before noon." 

Jordon batted Terry's hand away. "Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna order some pizza." 

"Kay." Terry lay back down to continue reading. 

Jordon rubbed Terry's head. "Love ya." 

"Love you too. Now let me read." 

Jordon shook his head and stood up. "I knew you'd throw that back in my face sometime." 

"Hai, hai."  
~*()*~ 

"How many you got left?" 

Terry looked around and spotted the church he was looking for. He skated towards it, holding the cell phone to his ear. "Three. Most of mine were the wrong denomination." 

"Ditto. I think I found one, though. It's a little on the edge of town, but it's nice." 

"Right. I'm going to check this one out. I'll talk later." Terry hung up and put the phone in his pocket. He slowed down as he approached the front of the church. _Glen Oak Community Church. There's about three others with the same name. How do they keep them separate?_ Glancing at the parking lot for signs of someone there, he headed up the stairs and entered, glad that the floor was carpeted so that he didn't need to remove his roller blades. 

Looking around, he found he wasn't impressed, but wasn't disappointed either. _Stanford has a better chapel. But this one is a lot...warmer. It's kinda nice._

"Can I help you?" 

Terry blinked and looked towards the organ. He hadn't realized someone was there. _Pay closer attention, idiot._ "Uh, no. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were practicing." 

"Oh, I don't mind." The elderly woman smiled. She had shoulder-length grew hair and multiple wrinkles, but it was obvious that she was in perfect health. "I was just fooling around before you came in. Waiting for the choir. They tend to dawdle." 

Terry smiled and skated towards her. "Yeah, I know. Mom took me to one church where the choir took thirty minutes to prepare, and they still weren't on time." 

"Don'tcha just hate that." 

"Oh yeah. And the pastor tried to make pathetic small talk to kill the time." 

"Ho, that must've been boring." 

"Big time." 

The two of them went silent, Terry stopping just beside the edge of the organ. 

"I'm Mrs. Hinkle." She extended her hand. 

Terry accepted and shook it. "Dax Jordon." 

"You know, I've never seen you around here." 

"I'm visiting with my brother for the next couple of weeks. Maybe longer if we like it." 

"Oh, well, Glen Oak is a pretty nice place." 

Terry nodded. "It's...different from the city, though." He looked around the church. "This feels more like a home than a church. And it's one of the smallest chapels I've seen for Christian denominations." 

"You've never been out east." 

Terry nodded. "I have, but only the big cities." 

Mrs. Hinkle turned slightly to face him better. "The smaller ones have tons of small congregations, and as such-" 

"Small churches." Terry leaned on the piano. "Do mind if I ask some...personal questions about the church? Or should I talk to whoever's in charge?" 

"I don't mind. I've been a member of this church for years. Know just about everything there is to know. Ask away." 

Terry took a deep breath. "Well, being from a big city and all, one thing that I always look for is a church's opinion on modern issues." 

"Such as?" 

"Abortion, homosexuality, the hot topics." 

Mrs. Hinkle raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you a bit young to be considering such things?" 

"My mom's a reporter. I'm afraid they've always been around me." 

"Ah, well, we won't condemn a person for abortion, but we don't necessarily like it." 

"I've found a lot of churches have gone that route." 

"Indeed. As for homosexuality," she rubbed her chin. "You know, I don't think that's ever come up." 

Terry gave her a dubious look. "Your kidding." 

"No, I'm pretty sure we've never had that come up in any way. No gay parishioners, no group talks on it, nothing." 

Terry suddenly felt a little self conscious about being in the church, even the community. _This is the fifth nondenominational church that's had this ignorance. Have they never encountered homosexuality before? _

"Are you gonna get that."  
Terry blinked and looked at her. "Get what?" 

"Your phone. It's ringing." 

"Oh!" Terry pulled out his phone. "Sorry, excuse me." He slid back and tilted his head as he put the phone to his ear. "Aniki?"  
"Found a place. It's perfect. Just outside of Glen Oak. I'll meet you at home in ten, okay?" 

"Gotcha." Terry hung up and smiled at Mrs. Hinkle. "My brother. I've got to go." 

"Aw. Well, it was nice meeting you, and I hope we'll see you tomorrow." 

Terry bowed his head slightly and turned to skate away. He noticed a man with brown hair standing in the doorway reading a Bible. "Pardon." 

The man looked up in time to move enough for Terry to maneuver around him. "No skating-" 

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving. Thanks." Terry hopped down the steps and zoomed towards home. 

~*()*~ 

"You sure you don't want me to drive you? Or to take the bus?" 

Terry strapped on his helmet and gave his brother a 'back off' look. "I've told you a million times no. Leave the bus for the kids who really need it. And you need to get to your school early enough to fix your schedule." 

Tuesday had rolled around, and Terry had felt nervous about his first day at school. It didn't help that Jordon had come home Monday evening complaining about the idiocy of the school administration. Apparently, they screwed up his transfer papers and he was in normal classes. So not only was he bored, he was ruining the curve for the other students, and within that first day he had met a great deal of resentful people. _"Being a genius means taking guff when with normal people."_

Terry didn't believe that, personally, but when his brother was whining like he was last night, it was best to just smile and agree with him. Nonetheless, he now wondered if the administration would be so careless as to enroll him in the wrong grade, or in remedial classes. 

Pulling his backpack on, he grabbed the keys from the end table by the door and put them in his pocket. "I'll be fine. And this way if it sucks, I can leave halfway through and bug you at your school." 

Jordon groaned and grabbed his leather jacket. "Please don't do that." 

"Why? A cute younger brother may boost your popularity." 

"I don't want a boost in popularity. I just want to get in the right classes. I have to sign up for the tests this week or next week." 

"And you can't remember." Terry rolled his eyes. "We went through this last year, too. Can't you write things down on a calendar?" 

"I forgot." 

Terry shook his head and waved at Jordon. "I'm going. Later." And he was out the door, skating into the elevator and out into the world. The day before he had memorized the route to school, and though he got lost once or twice by taking a wrong turn, he had given himself enough time to get to school on time. 

Pausing out front, though, he had to stare at the building. _It looks normal, but it feels...I dunno, stifling somehow._ He debated sitting on the steps and removing his blades then, but decided against it. _Too many moving bodies. _Working his way up, he pushed his way into the mainstream of students in the hallway and began looking for some sign of the office. 

"Hey, geek, nice helmet." 

"Look at his skates. What a looser." 

"Weirdo." 

Terry let the insults wash over his back. Compared to other insults hurled at him due to his orientation, these were nothing. _Ignorant. Why would the school allow such animosity to exist here?_ He was beginning to have real doubts about this whole public school idea. 

He stopped at an intersection and looked around, trying to get his bearings. _Face it, you're lost._ He wanted to ask someone for directions, but considering the insults that were still flying around, he didn't know who to ask. 

"Hey, do you need some help?" 

_I never thought I'd like to hear those words on this trip again. _"Yes." He let out an exhausting sigh and turned to face the person. "I'm trying to find the office." 

The kid was blond with a set of the most handsome gray eyes Terry had ever seen. He was on the skinny side, but it was obvious that as he grew, he would fill out nicely. _Mental note: find out who this kid is._

"The office is that way." He pointed. "Take a left at the third hall and it's your fourth door to your right." 

"Thanks." Terry paused. "I'm-" 

A bell cut him off, and the blond gave him an apologetic look before rushing off into some room. 

_Strange. Oh wait, I've seen this on television. Class started._ He blinked. _Damn. Class started._ He turned and glided down the hall. _Nice, Terry, late on your first day ever._

~*()*~ 

_Well, that was one big disappointment._ He swung his legs back and forth as he sat on the railing of the stairs leading up to the middle school. _This turned out to be a horrible day. And it's only 1:30!_ He looked at his watch. _1:23. About 1:30. _

It hadn't started out that horrible. The principal had understood that in the morning rush things could be pretty hectic, and being the first day at a new school probably didn't help. She looked really surprised when Terry told her it was his first time at school ever. He realized now that revealing that fact was his first big mistake. 

His second began in his first class. The teacher had at least pronounced his name right, but it just didn't seem to stick, a first for him. Normally the name Dax stuck out like a sore thumb in people's minds. He took his seat and listened to the lecture. English literature. Halfway through he found himself falling asleep. It wasn't that it was boring, but he had analyzed the novel over a year ago and was now on to books with more complex themes. Apparently the American system was a couple years behind the Japanese. 

So he pulled out his CD player and listened to music. That was his second mistake. Apparently that isn't allowed, in fact no electronics were allowed, which was a strange concept to him. He'd always done his English homework, most of his homework actually, listening to music. He figured the teacher wouldn't mind if he listened to music and read. He had, though, and Terry's face flushed as he became a source of brief ridicule for the rest of the class. 

He was glad when it ended. He was about to leave the school, when he remembered that his mother, his brother, even his sensei would never want him to give up after just one class. So he'd made a mistake and been embarrassed by it. Give it a chance, maybe it was just that one class that was screwed up. 

As it turned out, it wasn't. Seventh grade felt too slow to him, and it was proven in the second class he was in: math. Basic algebra. Algebra. He had graduated from algebra two years ago, the equivalent of fifth grade in the American system. Still, he tried to be patient. The other students obviously didn't know the material, and it was their time to learn. 

Only the teaching seemed inadequate to him. The teacher was impersonal, there was no time for student-teacher one-on-one interaction, and the lesson was being explained as if no one had taken math before. It was insulting. Terry had resorted to borrowing a textbook and reading through the advanced chapters leading to geometry, a subject he had graduated from the year previously. It offered meager entertainment. 

Third period, after a rather jumbled and too short a break, faired slightly better. Science. Now, he disliked science on many levels because that was the field his father worked in, but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy certain topics. Some of his best memories were of his sensei and him discussing scientific theories on evolution, chemical bonding, and even gravity. From the previous two classes, he assumed there'd be no student-teacher discussions, but the teacher would have some sort of interaction for an experiment or something. 

Okay, so he was wrong about the experiment, but at least it was a subject he could get into. He'd finally found a class he could live with, that he wouldn't mind dealing with in public school. He began thinking that perhaps he'd just missed something in his last classes. That it wasn't so bad after all. 

It was in the middle of third period that his breakfast orange juice had caught up with him, and he stood to leave the class. 

This wasn't allowed. At least, not without a great deal of time and further embarrassment to the student. The teacher berated him for getting ready to leave without asking for permission or giving a reason why. There was also the fact that break was for using the bathroom. Terry hadn't known that, and even if he had, he had no clue where the bathrooms were in that crowd. It was a joke to think all those students could use the facilities in only fifteen minutes. 

But it wasn't a joke to the science teacher, and Terry was further embarrassed as the teacher slowly extracted the fact he had never been to a school before, and didn't know any of the rules. Some of the class seemed impressed by that fact, but the teacher just kept lecturing, and ending with an order to return to his seat. 

And then Terry just had to do it. He had to add fuel to the fire by insulting the teacher's ability to, well, teach the material being covered. He never would've told his sensei that, as it was a sign of disrespect. Normally he never would've, but this day just wasn't turning out well, and she had gotten on his bad side. So he insulted her. She made the sarcastic comment about seeing him teaching it better. And just because he was still upset, he took that bet. 

In retrospect, it was a stupid move. He basically took over and, not only showed up her teaching ability, was able to keep the students' attention. Though, whether it was because he had done what no other student had ever done or how he presented the course material, he wasn't sure. By the end of class, though, the teacher had obviously had enough. He'd never seen a person's face so crimson in color. She was humiliated and angry, and was obviously tired of Terry's antics. He got sent to the principal. 

And even now, as he was sitting there watching the clouds roll by, he didn't fully get it. America was supposed to be one of the best countries in the world, and yet it had such a pathetic educational system that he, a mere thirteen year old, had shown up a teacher when discussing the periodic table and electron shells. 

On his way back to the principal's office, he was beginning to understand what Jordon was so afraid of. He wasn't cut out for the public system, at least not at this level. He was too set in the ways of being home schooled to even bother considering transferring. _I'll have to talk to sensei about that. Maybe get him to wean me towards the public high school. Like aniki's AP classes. They're something I think I could handle._

The principal had been somewhat dumbfounded. Obviously she'd never met the eleven-year-old college student on scholarship at Harvard. Or was it Yale? Terry could never keep it straight. He was fun, for a real genius. But she had decided to let Terry try and get through at least four periods. And she sent him where she figured he could do the least amount of harm. 

Physical education. 

Terry hadn't brought a change of clothes, but sports was one of those universal things that everyone could do no matter their ability or skill. And it was fun to play with a large group of peers rather than a small group, or with adults. While the conversations were trivial and prosaic at times, it was enjoyable. And the teachers had little say except refereeing the game and determining what they were playing. It was like being home schooled in a large group. 

Time flies when you're having fun, though, and soon enough fourth period was over and it was lunch time. In his opinion, the worst part of his day today. He had been ostracized from the lunch tables, the teachers wouldn't let him into the kitchen to cook his own meal, and he couldn't leave the campus to buy lunch. He settled for walking along the edge of the campus, trying to catch sight of the blond boy that had helped him earlier. 

And he was able to spot him, sitting with a group of kids that were obviously sixth graders. Terry didn't care what grade the kid was in. He had shown kindness when no one else had. He could use that support again. 

Before he was able to go over, though, four eighth graders surrounded him. Bullies. Terry asked them politely to move, he warned them when they pushed and threatened him. But with the day he had, what were the chances of bullies listening to his warnings? Still, he warned them, even when they grabbed for his bag. When one got a hold of his arm, though, he was through with warning. 

Within seconds, his instincts took over. Jordon had insisted he take martial arts even before he was gay, and after, the lessons doubled to ensure he could defend himself from homophobics who would try and hurt him. Without warning he struck out with a fist, landing a blow to the jaw of the person who had grabbed his arm. When another guy came at him, his leg lashed out and landed a blow to the boy's stomach. Both of them were down, with no sign of fight left. 

The other two bullies glanced at their friends, then at Terry. Terry knew what was going through their heads. They were wondering if they could take him, or if they should ditch their fellow bullies and run. He didn't want to fight any more, so he narrowed his eyes and flexed his fingers, taking a threatening step forward. That did it, and the two shot off like frightened deer. 

_And yet,_ Terry looked at the ground, watching a pigeon peck for food, _I'm the one who took the blame for it._

Another student had seen the altercation and summoned a teacher. Terry explained he was merely defending himself from four bullies, and he was well within his legal rights when one of them touched him. He was a reporter's son, he knew law better than anyone in that room. 

The problem was, he was the new kid, and four kids the principal knew, even known bullies, had more weight than he alone did. The two injured ones were fine, just winded. The two that had run defended their injured friends' stories, though faltered slightly under scrutiny. Terry knew this was trouble, though. Before the principal said anything, he ended it right there. 

_"You know what, just forget it. Aniki was right. This isn't for me. Don't bother placing me in another class. I'll just go home and leave you and your students be. I'm sorry I was such trouble."_

_"I need to call your parents."_

_"Go ahead and try. One's in Tokyo and won't take calls, the other's in Taiwan covering some train wreck. I can find my own way home."_

And he got up and walked out of the room, out of the school. One teacher had tried to stop him, but Terry had glared at him with his piercing eyes, and the teacher had backed down. 

So now, here he was, outside the school wondering what to do. _This is going cause trouble for aniki and I. _He rubbed his face. _I should've listened to him when he said I wouldn't be able to make this. But it's not like they made it any easier!_ He sighed. _Excuses, excuses. _Feeling his stomach rumble, he pulled out his roller blades and strapped them on. _I'll go grab something to eat and then get aniki. He'll know what to do._ Still, as he skated off and put on his helmet, he knew that his journey to this small town, to Glen Oak, was going to be even rougher from here on out. 

~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~ 

Aniki: older brother 

Ototou: younger brother 

Sensei: teacher 

Teme: damn 

Hai: yes 

Tadaima: I'm home 

Okaerinasai: welcome back 

Baka: idiot 

Bakayaro: jerk 

Urusai: shut up 

Wai: yay 

Doko: where 

Author's Prattle: Wow, another two parter. But I know what I'm gonna do for the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed making it up. Sorry it took so long, but I got sudden inspiration for "Never Again Separate," my other 7th Heaven fanfic, and churned out four chapters, and posted three of them last week. On top of that, I found a pic by Ken Mizuki that had basically what I thought Terry and Jordon looked like. To compliment this chapter, the picture is on my profile page, which you can get to by clicking on my author link at the top (sorry about the quality, blame ff.n for that). Sometime down the line there's another Mizuki pic I'm going to post that looks a lot like Simon and Terry together. If I can find some way to post both at once, I will. Thank you for reading, and as always, if you enjoyed, please review. Chapter sixteen should be out soon! 

Gravitation is a shounen ai anime with, well, you either like the music or you don't. I don't know the creators or anything, but I don't own it. It is a fun series, though. Dune is another great book (movie sucked, SciFi version was cool) worth reading. The Tale of Genji is a Japanese literary masterpiece, at least that's what I've been told. I don't own it either. 


	16. A Stroll Down Memory Lane

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

__Chapter Sixteen: A Stroll Down Memory Lane 

Jordon stirred in his sleep, his arm dropping over Terry's shoulders. Being a college student, he had learned a long time ago to sleep whenever and wherever you could. Sitting up on the couch with his brother on his lap was hardly uncomfortable. At least he had something to keep him warm. He grunted as his eyes slit open, before they closed again and he drifted back to the dream world... 

~*()*~ 

_This is why I hated normal classes, why I couldn't wait till high school and get into AP courses._ Jordon sighed and placed the English quiz in his bag. It wasn't just the fact that Jordon had aced the surprise quiz while being a new student, it was because he hadn't read the book that semester and had basically bulled it, and everyone knew it. _But that's how you pass the essay portion on APs. Don't these people realize that?_

_Of course not._ Jordon headed for the front of the school. _They're in normal classes. They don't worry about APs or getting into college. Half of them are thinking about sex and the other half just don't care._

"Hey, great job on that quiz." 

Jordon nodded and smiled. "Thanks." _Matt Camden. _That was the one kid who he was on full alert against. Sure, he was nice, but Jordon had met his type before. Sooner or later the teen would ask for something, probably to copy a test or homework. 

_You could be wrong, you know. You can't stereotype everyone,_ a small part of his mind reminded him. 

Jordon snorted. _Watch me. I've been on the smart circuit long enough that if someone doesn't fit the profile, they have an extreme family situation that I don't want to get sucked into._

As he stepped outside, he heard a slight wailing that was getting louder. He glanced down the street, searching for an emergency vehicle. Then he made out what the wail was. 

"Aaaaannnniiiikkkiiiiiii!" 

He turned around in time to catch his little brother, though the weight threw him off balance and he stumbled into a few students behind him. "Ototou!" 

Terry hugged him and jumped down, smiling. "I wanted to greet you on your way out." 

Jordon heard a few snickers around him, but ignored them as he did some quick calculations in his head. _His school's not out for another thirty minutes, and he looks like he's about to cry, plus his hand is red._ "Sure you did." He headed for the car. 

Terry followed. "Hidoi! I only wanted to see how your day went." 

"Something tells me it went better than yours." 

Terry's smile fell and he looked to the ground, his feet going still. 

That was all Jordon needed. He unlocked the rental car and opened the back door. "Get in, let's chat." 

Terry crawled in and sat there, still looking dejected. 

Jordon crawled in beside him and wrapped an arm around his brother, hugging him. "It wasn't that bad, was it? I mean, it's not like the school burned down or you incited a riot or started a fight." 

Terry remained silent and watched as other high school students walked by. 

"Oh no, you didn't burn down the school, did you?" 

"No." 

"Start a riot?" 

"No." 

"You got in a fight?" 

Terry remained silent. 

"You were in a fight!" Jordon stared at his brother. "You! You detest violence!" 

"They struck first!" 

"That doesn't matter! You don't start a fight!" 

"It was four bullies! What was I supposed to do? Let them beat me up?" 

Jordon opened his mouth, then shut it. _He has a point._ "Alright, touché. What was the damage?" 

"Bruised jaw and impacted stomach." 

Jordon winced. "Just two?" 

"The other two ran off. At least they're not all idiots." 

"Yes, you realize that after four or five years." Jordon rested Terry's head against his shoulder. "Well, so your first day was bad, but it'll go better tomorrow." 

"I'm not going back." 

"Oh yes-" 

"Aniki!" Terry shoved Jordon back and looked him in the eye. "I'm not going back! The teachers hate me, the students think I'm a geek, and I think the principal is afraid to let me back on campus!" 

"I'm sure you're exaggerating." 

"Jordon, I taught the science teacher's class better than she did. I know what pure hate looks like." 

Jordon searched his brother's eyes. _He has another point._ Due to Terry's orientation, their family were hardly strangers to hate. Jordon had seen some pretty heinous looks, and they certainly hadn't stopped there. So if his brother said the teacher hated him, he had to accept that the teacher did in fact hate him. "Okay. Would you like to enroll in another school? I'm sure there's another one that would take you for a couple days." 

Terry shook his head. "No. It just won't work, Jordon. I'm not ready. I can't do this." 

Jordon pulled off Terry's helmet. "Don't give up. You'll get the hang of it." 

"Not as long as I am how I am, and the school is how it is." Terry ran a hand through his hair. "I don't give up often, aniki. In fact I think this is the second or third thing I've ever wanted to give up. So please, can we just drop it?" 

Jordon sighed. He hated to see his brother fail, and he hated it more when Terry failed because he decided to fail, not due to outside influences. No matter how much he hated it, though, he knew that Terry knew himself, and when he made up his mind, he made up his mind. "Alright, if that's what you want." 

"I'll try again, talk to sensei about easing me into high school, but..." Terry looked out the window, scanning the few people that remained, "I can't do it. I can't interact with a system I'm completely unfamiliar with." 

Jordon rubbed Terry's back, letting him calm down. _I guess I'll be getting a call from the principal, and some angry parents. Joy._ "Tell you what. I saw a Borders when I was searching for churches. What say you and I go pick up some manga and burgers and just chill tonight." 

Terry wrinkled his nose. "Chill?" 

Jordon shrugged. "It's a term I picked up." 

"Lose it, would you?" 

Jordon laughed and opened the back door. "You wanna move to the front?"  
"No, I'm fine." Terry pulled his legs up onto the seat and began undoing his roller blades. "Tell me when we're at the book store." 

Jordon nodded and shut the back door. He glanced around, eyeing the kids hanging about their cars chatting with friends. _I knew this was a bad idea. I'd better give mom a call. Maybe she can cheer him up. Then again, it was her idea in the first place.  
_~*()*~ 

"Go to public school? Have you gone completely insane?" 

Jordon pulled the phone away from his ear and gave it an odd look. 

"Terry would never survive the school system! Or rather, it wouldn't survive him." 

Jordon cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear and flipped through a few pages in his physics book. "That's what I thought. But he said you wanted him to experience it. I never thought he'd lie. He knows the, quote-unquote, horrors I deal with." 

"Dear God what was he thinking! I thought maybe in another year we'd begin getting him used to the idea, but just dropping him into the system? I'd never suggest such a thing!" 

Jordon rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Well, he learned his lesson. Four periods and part of a lunch was enough to convince him it was Hell." 

"Good. Now go knock some sense into him for lying to you. Honestly, sometimes I think he inherited my sensibility with the skin complexion." 

Jordon paused. "Was that a compliment or an insult?" 

"Both, dear. You wouldn't understand. You got your father's genetics."  
"Bye mom." Jordon hung up. _She could've put that explanation a little less bluntly._ _Then again, I'm as bad as her. Damn, Terry got the good traits._ "Ototou! Kitchen! Now!" 

Terry poked his head in. "You bellowed, oh one who sets off smoke alarms?"  
Jordon pointed to the chair opposite him with the phone. "Sit." 

Terry blinked, but sat in the chair, folding his hands on the table. "Is something wrong?"  
Jordon set the phone down and leveled his hardened hazel eyes with Terry's. "You lied." 

Terry slumped slightly. 

"I just talked to mom. To put it in her own words, 'have you gone completely insane'?!" 

"I just wanted to see what it was like. Sensei was on vacation, it's a small town where we weren't known and little hassle to visit the district. I just thought-" 

"You thought wrong. Look at what happened! If something serious had transpired we would be in deep sh-" 

Terry kicked Jordon's leg. 

"Itai! In deep trouble! I don't want you ever pulling something like this again!" 

"Yes sir." 

"And I mean it! This isn't like the roller blades on the car." 

Terry pulled back, surprised. 

"Yeah, I know you still do it. I also understand why. I let you get away with it because it may mean your personal safety. But this, you could've done serious damage to those bullies. What if you had missed your aim and broken his rib? Or punctured his lung? You could've had a death on your hands! Or what if they had been using volatile chemicals in a lab?" 

"They wouldn't. They're too dull to do labs." 

Jordon slammed his hands down on the table, causing the phone to drop off the edge. "That's not the point!"  
Terry shrank back and his eyes widened as Jordon stood up. 

"Now, you are to never, ever do anything like this again, or so help me I'll do as mom says and really beat some sense into you, enough that you'll need a doctor! Clear?" 

Terry nodded his head slightly, his whole body tense. 

"Now go to the bedroom! And stay there till I come and get you, got it?" 

Terry nodded again and quickly retreated into the safety of the room. 

Jordon took a few breaths, but they weren't helping to calm him. _Go for a walk. You'll work off the steam you've built up._ Grabbing his jacket and the keys, he left the apartment building and took off walking. He knew Terry was too humbled, if not terrified, to leave his room while he was gone. _Damn it, you try and raise them well, but they still go and do the stupidest things._

And he couldn't understand why Terry would lie. He himself had lied to his parents, but only to go stargazing, which he suspected his father knew about. There were no risks in going to a planetarium and looking through the telescope or going to a park and meeting a group of teachers. But this, this could've caused real damage. 

_And it has._ Jordon glanced to the other side of the sidewalk, where a kid about Terry's age was walking, carrying a bag of groceries. _He could've really hurt those boys, and it's a miracle they came out as well as they did. And Terry..._ Jordon shook his head. _The emotional trauma must be as bad as, well, I don't even know if I can compare it to anything._

Spotting a bench, he sat on it and wrapped his arms around himself. _I hate yelling at him, I hate telling him what to do, but I'm his brother. No, I'm more than that. I'm his guardian, the one who'll guide him towards the right path. But I'm also his friend._

"Hey, need a ride?" 

Jordon looked up to see a sleek black car with Matt Camden as the driver. "I'm not going anywhere, thanks." 

"You okay? You look a bit down." 

"Just dealing with my brother. You wouldn't understand." 

He watched as Matt drove away, only to park ten feet away from where he was sitting. A few moments later, Matt had come over and sat next to him. Jordon wasn't quite sure how to respond. He knew he could probably take the teen, but he hated fighting as much as Terry. 

"You know, I've got a little brother too. He's a year younger than yours. He's in sixth grade." 

Jordon leaned forward and put his hands together, looking over at Matt. "So?" 

"He told me about this new kid he met today. They'd seen him around, but no one knew who he was." 

Jordon groaned and closed his eyes. "Your brother wasn't one of the ones he hit, was he?" 

"No. Though I know the kids. They are bullies. If he said it was defense, it probably was." 

"I believed him. It'd take his testimony over an average kid's any day." 

"You know, I'm trying to be helpful." 

Jordon sat up and took in Matt's face. "Why? What's in it for you?" 

"What, you've lived a life where you can't get help without something expected in return?" 

"That's right, Camden-san, I have. All the years I was in school here no one wanted to do anything helpful for me unless I did something for them in return. My two years in Japan were wonderful, because that didn't happen. It wasn't all give or all take, it was mutual. So forgive me if I'm not totally trusting, but I've found that help comes with a high price." 

Matt crossed his arms. "Not everyone is like that, you know. Just because you've had a few bad experiences doesn't mean that they'll all be like that. My father's a minister, and we live in a fishbowl because of that. But you know what that helped teach us? That gratitude is all the return we need for helping someone." 

Jordon tilted his head. _That certainly explains a few things._ He mentally re-categorized Matt Camden, exonerating him from the stereotypes he had placed on him earlier. 

"What, no come back?" 

"I had to yell at him." 

Matt blinked. "Who?" 

"My brother. He wasn't supposed to be at that school." 

"What do you mean?" 

Jordon shook his head. "That's not important. What was important was that he lied, I scolded him. But I haven't been his big brother like this in two years, and now the duties have increased so much that, I don't know, do I even qualify as his brother? Or am I his parent?" 

Matt nodded. "Ahh. That I can help you with." 

"Oh really?" 

"Yeah. I have a younger brother, but he has two older sisters. I'm the oldest of five kids." 

_Okay, so extreme family situation is back in the picture._ "So? Did you have to give up the brother role for parenting?" 

"No. Being a big brother sometimes mean you have to be strict, even worse than your parents. Kids zone out mom and dad. I know I have. But when it comes from an older brother, a person they admire and respect, they pay attention. I may not be able to punish my sisters when they do something stupid, but I give them such a hard time that mom and dad's punishment is meager in comparison." 

Jordon nodded slowly. It made sense. _Maybe I should rethink my evaluation of my peers._ Just then a car blaring loud rap music sped around the corner, tearing along the line in the middle of the street. _Not by too much, but some._ "Thanks Camden." 

"Yeah, no problem. And call me Matt" Matt clapped his hands together and rocked slightly. 

Jordon sighed through his nose. "What do you want?" 

"It's just, you're so good at the English. Think you could help me out? I'd be willing to pay you for tutoring me." 

Jordon let out a short laugh. "I'd love to but I can't. I'm getting into my APs tomorrow, finally. And to be honest, I'm good, but not that good. I bulled that quiz essay through and through. It's how I aced AP Language and how I'll pass AP Literature. You just write a bunch of crap analyzing every detail, throw in a few allusion and metaphor explanations, and you've got yourself a score five essay." 

Matt crossed his arms again. "That's it?"  
"Seriously, that's all I did. If you took AP, and had a good teacher, you'd know that." He glanced at his watch. "Holy cow I've been gone nearly an hour and a half! I've got to get back." He stood, then hesitated and held out his hand. 

Matt blinked and took it and shook hands with him. 

"Thanks." He turned and ran towards the apartment. _I can't believe I lost track of time._ _Baka. Terry's probably worried about you. _As he ran up the steps and went into the apartment, though, it seemed as if all was well. The kitchen and living room was as he left it, and the door to the bedroom had been closed. 

Closing the door behind him, he walked over and knocked on the bedroom door. "Terry? You still awake?" 

"Yeah." 

Jordon opened it and walked in. 

Terry was sitting on the bed, his knees to his chest, staring out the window at the moon. There were tear stains on his cheeks, and his eyes were bloodshot from crying. 

Jordon walked over and hugged his brother, and he was glad Terry returned it. "Hey, it's okay. You know it's for your safety. Because I love you. If anything were to happen to you I'd never forgive myself." 

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." 

Jordon closed his eyes as he felt one of Terry's tears slide down his neck. _Poor kid. _He let Terry cry it out on his shoulder, rubbing the young teen's back and making soothing noises with his throat. And he didn't let go for a long time. 

~*()*~ 

"Jinsei chuu n' wa rakki bakari to chau kedo egao de ganbareba nan to ka naru de." 

Jordon growled at his singing brother. "If you sing that next line I'm gonna smack you." 

"Shiketa kao ya to shiawase mo nigete iku ashi-" 

Jordon whapped Terry's shoulder. 

"Itai! What's with you?" Terry rubbed his arm. "You went to bed early, got up on time. You have a nice breakfast. You're not still sore about the school thing. So what's wrong?" 

"Three." 

Terry blinked. "Three? Oh! Three!" Terry refilled Jordon's orange juice glass. "I'm sure it was a fluke in grading." 

"It was math." 

Terry paused, pursing his lips. 

Jordon looked at him. "What? No more encouraging comments?" 

Terry set the orange juice down. "Look at the time! I've got to get in the shower!" Terry slid out of the kitchen. "Ashita mo ee hi de arimasu you ni, issho ni utao." 

Jordon groaned and hit his head on the table. _Living with a genki brother is harder than I remember._ He closed his eyes. _If you make a glum face you'll turn away happiness. Sure. I got a damn three on the exam. Happiness isn't going to come until I figure out why the Hell I got a three._

Terry stuck his head around the corner. "Ne, aniki?" 

Jordon opened his eyes and tilted his head up. "Nani." 

"We still going to that karaoke thing tonight? Cause if you're not up to it." 

Jordon sighed and sat up, rubbing his face. "No, no. I promised, and hey, it'll probably take my mind of that damned score." 

"Alright." Terry vanished again. 

Jordon looked up at the ceiling. _Karaoke. This is gonna be fun. Here's hoping they don't mind our music.   
_~*()*~ 

"So how was I?" 

"I liked the Japanese version better than the translation." Terry sipped his soda. 

Jordon shrugged and rested his arms on the table. _Everyone seemed to like it. Good thing I brought the music. I haven't heard any American songs in, well...wow, has it been three years? I guess I am out of touch. Then again, J-pop holds much more appeal._

"I played pool." 

"I noticed." 

Terry sighed rested his head between his hands. "It was boring, as always." 

Jordon glanced over to the pool table, where, surprisingly, Matt Camden was standing there staring at the table in disbelief. _It's a small world, compounded by a small town. _"Got them in on the break?" 

"I tried not to think of the physics, I really did, but my hands wouldn't listen to my mind." 

"Our family tends to strive for top performance even when we don't want to." 

"But it makes playing things like pool and golf redundant. I mean, you got a hole in one on about every hole last time you played." 

Jordon smirked and held his coke in front of his face. _Note to self, take him miniature golfing. Physics only gets you so far in that game._ "I also noticed your little stick thing. You nearly poked out someone's eye out with that twirling." 

Terry ducked his head. "Sorry. I stopped after that guy grabbed the stick." 

"It's called a cue." 

"Yeah, and he said he knew you?" 

"Oh, I was in his class when they screwed up my schedule." 

"He said you were good." 

Jordon raised his drink. "Two years of practice." 

"And again I say, lucky." Terry glanced at his watch. "When do we go on?" 

"Eleven thirty. You gonna make it?" 

Terry yawned and nodded. "Yeah, no prob." 

"And what did you decide?" 

"Armageddon." 

Jordon raised an eyebrow. "That's so unlike you." 

"Eh, it's not too confusing and it sends an important message." Terry folded his arms on the table and rested his head on it. 

"Hey, maybe you should take him home. I know Simon would be in bed by now." 

"I know my brother." Jordon sipped his soda, watching his brother's eyes droop. "Besides, I promised him some karaoke, and I don't break my promises. and don't talk as if he's not here. He's coherent enough to understand you." 

Matt crossed his arms. "I'm just saying that perhaps he's too tired." 

Jordon turned in his seat slightly, keeping one eye on Terry. "Look, Camden, I appreciate that you're trying to do, but I know my brother better than you. He wanted to do karaoke, so we'll wait until our time comes up." 

"I don't think he'll make it that long." 

"Ye of little faith." 

Terry slumped forward. 

Matt waved his arm. "See?" 

Jordon rolled his eyes and set his drink down. "Look, Camden-san, I appreciate what you did a few nights back, and you're a nice guy," he locked eyes with Matt, "but we're not friends, we're not chums, and I'd be glad if you kept out of my family's business." 

Matt had a stunned look, then frowned. "Fine. I was just trying to help." 

"Not everyone wants your help all the time." 

Matt threw up his hands and walked off. 

_Finally. Honestly, one night of talking does not make him an expert on my family or make us friends. _That's one thing Terry noticed about small towns that irritated him. Five minutes of discussion and everyone thought they were best friends and knew everything about you. _I can't wait to get back to a city._

Jordon turned back and looked at Terry. _He's so cute when he sleeps. So innocent, not like the smart alec he usually is. So much easier to deal with._ He shook Terry's shoulder. "Ototou, we should head home." 

"Mm?" Terry blinked blearily at Jordon. "Did I fall asleep?" 

"No, the lapse in time was due to a distortion in the space-time continuum and we are now in an alternate universe where you're straight." 

Terry wrinkled his nose. "You have a strange sense of human." 

Jordon chuckled. "Humor. Strange sense of humor." 

"Whatever." Terry stretched, then slumped forward again. "Wake me when it's our turn to sing." 

"Terry, if you're tired, then we should go home." 

"It'll be fun. I'll be fine." Terry's eyes began to slide close again. "Prom-"  
"AIYA! I didn't know you'd be here too!"  
Terry snapped straight up, wide awake, and turned in his seat. "Amber! Wait! Don't-" 

Jordon flinched as Amber, a modeling friend of his brother, tackled Terry out of his chair. _She's worse than mom at times._ "Any broken bones?" 

Terry groaned and shook his head slowly. 

Jordon smirked and put one leg over the other, picking up his drink. "Maybe you're right. Let's stay a little bit longer." 

"Amber," Terry pushed himself up on his elbows, "do you have to do that every time?"  
Amber, her short raven hair disheveled from her tackle, grinned and sat up. "It's a perk of youth. Besides, it annoys the hell outta ya." 

"I know. I've told you that so many times they don't even have a number for it." Terry shoved Amber to the side and stood up. "Honestly. You're eighteen years old. You don't see my brother doing that." 

"That's because I get to annoy you in so many other ways." Jordon waved the waiter for another pitcher of soda. _This is gonna be good._

"Is everyone okay?" 

Amber, who had gotten up shortly after Terry, smiled as her aquamarine eyes scanned over the newest addition to the party. "And who is this? Your latest prospect?" 

Terry coughed and slid his foot into her heel. 

Jordon checked the expression on Matt's face to make sure he hadn't figured out what she meant. _Clueless. Good._ "Amber, meet Camden Matt." 

Terry let out a sigh through his nose. 

Jordon hit his forehead. "Right. America. Matt Camden." 

Amber stuck out her hand and shook Matt's before he could lift it. "Hey, nice to meet you. Free tomorrow night?" 

Matt jerked his hand back. "No, actually. I'm not." 

"Camden's a minister's son." 

Amber's face fell. "Well damn. Why are all the cute ones on some vow of chastity?" 

Terry balked and gave his brother a pleading look. 

_In a minute._ Jordon was rather enjoying the look of shock, or anger, that had passed over Matt's face. 

"Aniki." 

Jordon nodded and leaned forward. "Amber, I bet you and Terry have tons to catch up on. Why don't you take him out for some coffee. Just have him home by one." 

"Aww. Sure, throw me a bone." Amber winked at Matt and turned to Terry, wrapping her arm around his. "Come on. The car I'm renting is a convertible." 

Jordon nodded as Terry threw back a thankful glance. _He's suffered enough for one night._

"Who was that?! Your sister?" 

_Ah yes. I forgot he was still here._ "No, actually. She works with my brother on some odd jobs here and there." _Partial truths. Ah well. It works._ "She travels about as much as we do. Don't mind her flirting. You're cute, but she had the toying look in her eye." 

Matt huffed and stalked off again. 

Jordon ran a hand through his hair and looked at the mostly full pitcher of coke he had ordered. _What the hey. I can get coke any time._ He tossed his money on the table and grabbed his coat. _I wanted to finish that chapter on quantum mechanics anyway._

~*()*~ 

"Ohayo." 

Terry grumbled some sort of a reply. 

"That's no way to address me in the morning. I'm your brother, after all." 

Terry growled and searched the cupboards for some sort of morning liquid. 

"You know, you can have a cup of coffee. You look like you need it." 

"You don't want me handling scalding hot liquids right now, aniki." 

Jordon pushed his chair back from the table slightly, in case he had to make a quick get away. "So, it was surprising to see Amber in town. What's she here for?" 

Giving up on his search, Terry pulled out a cup and poured himself a generous amount of java. "There's a new studio being set up nearby. They called her in for some quick publicity." He sniffed the liquid, then shrugged and drank it in one gulp. 

Jordon looked at the ceiling. _Three...two...one...now._

"GAAAAAHHHH! That's awful! What is this?" 

"Coffee. You forgot to add the sugar and cream." 

"Why didn't you stop me? Geeze, now I'm going to have this horrid taste in my mouth all day!" 

"What time did she bring you home." 

"I dunno. Two, I think." The now awake Terry began searching the cupboards again. "We got any sort of mints or mouthwash or something?" 

Jordon calmly drank his own cup of coffee. _So she brought him in an hour late. If it was mom, she would've been getting him back just now._ "She was excited to see you." 

"She was upset when I left LA. We had some fun times together." Terry opened the fridge. "I'd settle for orange juice. At least it'd make the flavor more murky." 

_Should I worry about what those fun times were? Wait, what am I thinking? He's gay. _Jordon finished his cup and stood. "Well, I've got a few essays to crank out, then I'm off to a review session. Gonna try and figure out why I did so poorly on the math section." 

Terry stood and put his hands on his hips. "Yeah, yeah. Maybe I should just suck toothpaste right out of the tube." 

"Get a grip." 

"Oh, and I'm going to try and hit the zoo today."  
Jordon placed his hand on the doorway and gave Terry a warning look. "No pets." 

"I won't. Besides, he followed me home. What was I supposed to do?" 

"Bring it back. I do not want to come home to find a four hundred pound tiger lying on the couch." 

"Don't be ridiculous." Terry scratched his head. "Besides, that wolf couldn't have been more than...two hundred fifty pounds." 

"Smart ass." Jordon headed for the bathroom. It was a known fact that Terry loved animals. Before Jordon left for Japan, Terry had even adopted a baby wolf, to nurture it until the zoo took it back. Unfortunately, Terry forgot to mention how fast it grew, so when Jordon came home for a visit, he was bowled over, with a snarling muzzle right up against his face. _That wasn't pleasant. And he could've at least warned me._

So now whenever Terry went to the zoo, Jordon made sure he came back alone. He let out a small laugh, turning on the shower. _Well, almost always come back alone._ One time another boy had come back with Terry. _He was cute, polite, and easily frightened. Every brother's dream. Too bad he had to move._ Terry was rather downcast about it, but he knew his brother kept in touch with the boy. _At least I don't have to worry about animals or boys here. Except that blond._

Terry had made it a goal to try and find the blond boy who had helped him that one day at school. So far, he'd failed at spotting him around town, he wasn't allowed near the school, and other than blond hair and gray eyes, they didn't have any leads. _God probably just provided him with a silver lining that day. So that he felt it wasn't a total waste._

"Aniki! You're wasting the hot water!" 

"Hai!" Jordon stepped into the shower. _Like he never lets it run five minutes before getting in. _

~*()*~ 

"Aniki, do we have to leave?" 

Jordon, folding a pair of jeans, nodded. "Yeah, we do. Your sensei wants us in Seattle. Did you finish your homework?" 

"Yes, but I want to stay. It's just starting to grow on me?" 

Jordon raised an eyebrow at Terry. "What's starting to grow on you? This town? The annoying questions of who you are? The idiot students, not to mention idiot faculty?" _Grading me down because I used skills too advanced for them. Idiots._ _At least I know I deserved a five._ "What?" 

Terry rubbed his arm and leaned against the wall. "Well, I like the church. And the store owners are starting to warm up to me, even though I won't tell them much. The police are actually friendly and talk with citizens. It...feels nice. I can't explain it, but I think I belong here." 

"You belong in a place where kids and parents fear you because of what you did to those bullies?" 

"They're forgetting about that. Besides, no parents have dodged me." 

"You haven't been at the school dealing with older siblings and hearing the rumors about what a lunatic you are." 

Terry shrugged. "So let them call me a lunatic. It'll make it easy for them to accept that I'm gay." 

"Ha!" Jordon looked over at him. "Sometimes I wonder just how much of dad's brains you got." 

"What does that mean?" 

"Terry, if you announced that you were gay here, you'd be run out of town and crucified so fast you wouldn't even finish your sentence. These people don't like change. They're afraid of the unknown, and especially controversial unknowns. Haven't you noticed? There's no abortion clinics around here. They have to go to another city. There's no gay bars, or even a support group within a twenty mile radius. This isn't a place you can live, Terry. They won't accept you." 

Terry crossed his arms, glaring at Jordon. "Hidoi, bakayaro." 

"I don't care. Now start packing." 

Terry bit his lip, thinking. "What if I don't want to leave?" 

"Where will you go? One phone call and I'll have your accounts frozen. You won't have any money, you don't have any friends." 

"Amber-" 

"Will side with me. As fun and friendly as she is, she also knows what's best for you." 

Terry looked at the ground. "Will we ever come back?" 

Jordon sighed and sat on the bed. "Terry-" 

"Well, will we?" Terry looked up. "I like it here, okay? Sure, I had a rocky start-" 

"That's an understatement." 

"But it's improved dramatically since then." 

Jordon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Maybe when you're more mature. When you can integrate more with the community." _That should keep us away for another twenty years, God willing._

Terry's eyes moved back and forth. "So when I'm more mature and can integrate with the community, we can come back?"  
Jordon through his arm in the air. "Yes! When you're at that level I'll help you buy a damn house so you can live here as long as you like!" 

"Honto?" 

"Yes, anything. Now get packing or we'll miss our flight." 

"Hai!" Terry beamed and marched out to the living room to collect his things. 

Jordon shook his head, rubbing both his temples. _What just happened?_

_You made a deal. He matures enough, you move here for more than a week or two,_ a voice in his mind responded. 

_Great. May he be twenty-three and on his own when he's at that stage in development. I've had enough of this small town. I can't wait to get to a place with a Starbucks._

~*()*~ 

Jordon blinked awake, looking around. _Starbucks. Heh._ He felt his hair for a ponytail and found nothing. _Maybe I should grow it long again. Or at least bleach it. I'm gonna blend in so much at Tokyo U._ He looked down on his lap and smiled as Terry snuggled closer. _I can't believe how much he matured in four years. I thought I'd never see this town again. Now it feels awkward leaving it. Or maybe it's because I'm leaving him, too._ He ran his hand through Terry's hair a couple times. 

That was enough to rouse the teen. He stirred and tilted his head up. "When I open my eyes you'd better be the blond of my dreams or you're in big trouble." 

"And here I thought you liked sleeping with me." 

Terry sat up and hit Jordon's shoulder. "Urusai. Simon's cuddlier." 

"Oh, so I'm being replaced by your boyfriend?" 

Terry yawned, covering his mouth with a fist. "Well, you have to admit, he's cuter than you." He blinked, as if suddenly realizing something. 

Jordon shifted his weight, getting the blood flowing to his legs again. "What?" 

"I just had a dream of our first trip out." 

"You too?" 

Terry rubbed his eyes. It wasn't uncommon for them to share dreams. Their biorhythms were so in sync that sometimes it seemed like they were telepathic. "The blond kid that helped me. I think it was Simon. But, why didn't he recognize me now?" 

"Well, you didn't have colored contacts back then, so the red eyes might've thrown him off. That and you weren't wearing a helmet." 

Terry whapped Jordon again and held up his wrist, squinting his eyes a couple times. "We'd better hurry. We only have six hours till the flight." 

"My, how little time." Jordon stood and stretched. 

Terry watched him, scratching his back. "Aniki?" 

"Hmm?" 

Terry shifted his legs. "Do...do you think I'll be okay? Without you around and with Simon's family and the community? I mean, when we come out, is what you said way back then going to be true?" 

Jordon let his arms fall to his side. "A lot of things have changed since then, Terry. And with Eric's help...I think it'll work out. They trust him and his judgment. And have faith, hm? That's what you've always told me." 

Terry grunted. "Sure, throw it back in my face." 

Jordon chuckled and rubbed Terry's head. "You want the shower first?" 

"No, I'll cook breakfast." 

"Thanks." Jordon wandered towards the bathroom. 

Terry sat on the couch, staring at the wall a few minutes, before getting up and going into the kitchen. 

~*()*~ 

"Okay, you got all the bags?" 

"Yep." Terry glanced around the living room. "Hidden away all incriminating evidence of my job and orientation." 

Jordon checked his pockets. "Passport, wallet, keys, directions, tickets. Check." 

"I've asked the Camdens to watch over the house, get the mail, etc., while we're gone." 

"Good thinking." Jordon smirked. "Where's that wolf when you need him? He'd make a killer watch dog." 

Terry frowned. "He had to put down. Got into a pretty bad fight with the alpha male and, well..." 

"I'm sorry." 

Terry shrugged and looked at his watch. "Where's the limo? I told the company to send it over by now." 

"I'll see if it's driving in circles." Jordon opened the door just as Simon was about to ring the bell. He raised an eyebrow. "You're a bit early for house sitting." 

Simon flushed lightly. "I'm, uh, here to take you to the airport." 

Terry glanced past Simon where Lucy and Robbie were waiting in the van. "You didn't have to, Simon. We called a limo service."  
"I canceled it. I-I wanted to take you." 

Jordon smiled and grabbed a few bags. "Get in there and kiss already. I'll handle the packing." 

Simon blushed even more as he stepped inside. 

Terry guided him out of sight from the outside world. "Don't let my brother get to you." He smirked and kissed Simon's nose. "That's my job." 

Simon fidgeted. "Terry..." 

"Simon, this is sweet. I wish you'd told me about it, but it's sweet." He brushed Simon's hair back. "I'm going to miss you so much." 

"You're going to call, though. So we'll keep in touch." 

Terry nodded. "I'll definitely be back by the second week in September. Maybe third if there's some problem." 

"I know. This is important to you. Take as much time as you need."  
Terry chuckled and hugged Simon. "Lord, I love you." He pulled his head back enough to maneuver it down and kiss Simon. 

Simon closed his eyes and returned in kind. They remained that way for a minute or two. 

"Okay you two. All the bags are in the car. Now either break it up or I'm getting the squirt bottle." 

Terry broke the kiss and shook his head. "Did I mention how glad I am you won't be here to do that particular little thing any more?" 

Jordon laughed and put his arm around Terry's shoulder. "No, but don't worry. I'll find someone to do it." 

Simon stepped out before them and Terry locked the door. He patted it a moment, then handed Simon the key. "Take good care of it for me." 

"I will." Simon climbed into the van and sat in the back. Terry sat beside him. 

Jordon climbed into the middle seat and leaned forward. "Robbie, how good a shot are you with a water gun?" 

"Aniki no baka!"  
~*()*~ 

~*()*~  
~*()*~ 

Aniki: older brother 

Ototou: younger brother 

Hidoi: mean, cruel 

Manga: Japanese comic 

Itai: ow, ouch 

-san: respectful honorific 

Genki: energetic 

Ne: hey, right 

Nani: what 

Ohayo: good morning 

Hai: yes 

Bakayaro: jerk 

Honto: really 

Urusai: shut up 

Aniki no baka: idiot older brother 

Author's Prattle: Wow. Did that come out fast. Hope you enjoyed it! Not to worry! Terry will return from Japan (brotherless, of course) to a whole new set of challenges (Kevin has entered the picture. Muwahaha...the possibilities). I've already got it planned out in my head, but I'm gonna try and keep it on hold until I get a few more chapters of "Never Again Separate" out and I catch up on all my school work and get past the first set of midterms (my classes have four a semester. Sciences...) 

To those of you wondering why Matt failed to recognize Jordon later, I'd like to point out a few details. When Terry returns and starts dating Simon, Jordon has very little interaction with the Camden family. This means that there isn't much time for recognition to take place. Jordon forgot Matt as he wasn't too important, and Matt had a deja vu feeling, yet couldn't quite place it. Also remember that Jordon had bleached hair and a short, thin ponytail when he visited four years previously. His hair's back to normal and it's short, so he looked quite different in modern day than in the past. Besides, with all the people in Matt's life, what're the odds he'd remember some weird guy he barely knew? 

Let's see...oh, the anime references are numerous. I'll just put out a standard disclaimer this chapter: I only own Terry, Jordon, Amber, Gwen and Hidoru. I do not own the 7th Heaven characters, nor any anime references made in this chapter. Issho no Utao is a what Terry was singing earlier, it's yet another song from Card Captors Sakura, and with it's upbeat music, holds some sound advice. Translation can be found here: 

http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/ccsakura/ccsinu.htm 


	17. Lunch Date, Dinner Conversation, and Lat...

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

Chapter Seventeen: Lunch Date, Dinner Conversation, and Late Night Talks 

"I wish I could go with you." 

Terry kissed Simon's forehead. "I wish it were you instead, too." 

Simon sighed and looked at the apple he had grabbed. Terry had arrived shortly after the third week of school, slightly later than expected, but there had been complications with Jordon's move to Tokyo that Terry had to deal with. By that time, he had been grounded by his parents for his little dating service, something Terry still didn't know about. 

In fact, all Terry knew was that Simon had needed a shoulder to cry on. The night before Terry had returned, Simon helped a girl, Claire, deliver a baby and leave it anonymously at a hospital. It had been one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do, and though he knew it was the right thing to do, part of him had wanted to keep that baby, to raise it with the Camdens to give it some sort of a life. 

Only he couldn't do that. His parents would never agree to take care of a baby, nor would they leave him alone until they found out the truth and somehow meddled in Claire's family life, destroying the very secret she had been keeping from her parents. So he had, after some self reflection, brought the child to the hospital. Despite doing the right thing, it weighed heavily on his heart. 

The next day, Simon stopped by Terry's house on his way home from school, despite his parents' order of restriction, and confessed what he'd done for Claire, how he felt. 

_"I just don't know if I did the right thing."_

_Terry rubbed Simon's back, rocking the teen slightly. "You did more than what most people would do. You saved a life, gave that child a real chance to survive. Do you know how many abandoned babies there are in New York? My mother once did an article on it, and it's not a nice number. If the people there had the courage to do what you did, maybe the world would be better." He stroked Simon's hair. "You did the right thing."_

_"Then why do I feel like this? Why do I feel so...so..." Simon sniffed and hugged Terry tighter, trying to gain comfort from his boyfriend as he searched for the word to place his feeling._

_"Helpless? Guilty?" _

_Simon nodded and rested his head on Terry's shoulder. _

_"Because you have a big heart, Simon. Because you offered to shoulder a great responsibility without wanting anything in return. It's because you're compassionate. It's one trait that attracts me to you. You could be starving, and if you saw a starving child, you'd offer any food you had to it rather than end your own starvation." Terry pulled Simon back. "You did the right thing, Simon. You have to take some comfort in that fact."_

_Simon nodded and wiped his eyes. "I take some...but-"_

_"But there's still those feelings." Terry sighed. "Simon, I know you love me, and I know how much comfort I give you, but I can't fulfill you entirely. Your family fills your soul in ways I can't. This may be a burden you need lifted by them, or if you don't trust them with this secret, then another person may be your answer. I don't know, Simon. But you should think it over."_

_Simon rested against Terry. He didn't like that Terry didn't have the answer, but he understood Terry's reasoning. "Thank you. I'm glad your back. I love you."_

_"I love you too, Simon. And I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. This year is about you and me. I promised that before I left, and I intend to keep it." Terry patted Simon's shoulder. "You should get home."_

_Simon wiped his eyes again and kissed Terry briefly. "Stop by soon."_

_"I'll plan a wonderful dinner for the end of your restriction." Terry grinned. "Just don't get grounded again."_

_Simon slapped Terry's arm. "Smart alec."_

__Terry had kept Claire's secret, as Simon expected, but his return was not unnoticed by the rest of the family. Lucy, above the others, noticed how Simon seemed to perk up. From there she deduced that Terry had returned, and invited him over. 

He was received warmly, and though he didn't have any gifts, much to the disappointment of Ruthie, he was greeted with hugs and smiles by the entire Camden clan. Kevin and Ben weren't too sure about him yet, but that wasn't surprising, as they hadn't officially met him. 

Terry, however, didn't stay long. He had meetings to attend with his teachers, and a few conferences with his business manager to work out a shooting schedule for the rest of the school year. Before he left, however, Lucy talked him into going out for lunch that Saturday. 

It was now Saturday, and Simon was in the kitchen getting his own lunch and taking one of the few opportunities he had outside of school to talk with Terry. "So where are you two going?" 

"No place special." Terry leaned on the counter and watched Simon. "Probably Pete's or the Pool Hall or something. I can't wait till we can go out. Talking with you was nice, but it doesn't beat a date." 

Simon nodded. He had called Terry about every other day, sometimes for a few minutes to say hi, and sometimes for hours talking about what had happened at school or with Jordon's move. "I can't wait either." 

"We just have to wait until your restriction ends. By the by, why are you on restriction?" 

Simon took a bite out of his apple. _I can't tell him, not like this. I want to be able to get him to understand why I did it. _"Oh, just some stupid thing I pulled at school." 

"Mmhmm. You know, I'm going to pry it out of you, even if I have to play bad cop to get it." 

Simon raised an eyebrow. "And how do you play bad cop?" 

"Kiss you until you give in." 

Simon blushed and took another bite of his fruit. _I just had to ask._

"It's a tactic my mother picked up for when she needs to pry information from unwilling male informants." Terry smirked. "Learned from the best." 

Simon coughed and looked at the stairs. _How much longer will you be, Luce?_

__~*()*~ 

"So exactly who is he?" 

Lucy smoothed out her jacket and grabbed her purse. "He's just a friend, Kevin." 

"I've done some checking. He's a male model." 

Lucy shrugged. "I know." 

"Is he an ex-boyfriend?" 

Lucy laughed. _If only he knew._ "Kevin, he wouldn't date me if I was the last woman on Earth." 

Kevin crossed his arms. "Yet he'll take you out to lunch." 

"It's just lunch, Kevin. Sheesh." She put her hands on her hips. "Besides, you hang around with Roxanne all day. If I want to have lunch with a gorgeous guy for a couple hours, so what? Don't you trust me?" 

"As you once put it, I trust you. I'm not so sure about him, though." 

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Terry is one of my dearest friends." 

"And another thing, why do I have to call him Dax and you call him Terry?" 

Lucy looked at her watch. "It's a familiarity thing, alright. Look, he's probably downstairs waiting for me. Can we continue this later? And don't you have to patrol the promenade with your partner?" 

Kevin shook his head. "This isn't over, Luce." 

"Believe me, it is." Lucy left her room and headed down the stairs. She emerged in the kitchen in the middle of an awkward silence between Simon and Terry. "Am I interrupting something?" 

Simon swallowed the piece of food in his mouth and shook his head. 

"Nothing at all." Terry walked over and hugged Lucy. "Ohh, it's good to see you again." 

Kevin stepped out from the stairwell, spotting Lucy and Terry immediately. 

Terry saw Kevin and grinned. _Well, well. Looks like she managed to hook him after all._ "We'd better get going. I'm starving." 

"Right." She nodded at Kevin, then Simon. "We'll be back soon." She headed out the back door with Terry. 

Simon sighed, wanting so much to be in Lucy's place right now. 

"Do you know about this guy?" 

Simon glanced at Kevin. "Well...he's a friend of mine. And of the family." 

Kevin waited for more information. "That's it?" 

"Yeah." 

Kevin grunted and headed out the door for his noon patrol. 

~*()*~ 

"So why is he on restriction?" 

"You mean he didn't tell you?" 

Terry shook his head and sipped some of his soda. He and Lucy had opted for Pete's Pizza and had snagged an outside table. "No, so?" 

"Well, he started an escort service, basically. He took girls out for money. But don't be too angry at him. It was just an idea he got from a one time job where a girl asked to make out with him to make her boyfriend jealous and offered money for his services." 

Terry sat there a moment, then cracked a smile and chuckled. "Oi, that's rich." 

Lucy tilted her head. "That wasn't quite the response I expected." 

"Lucy, I trust Simon. I know how he is, and that he'd never turn away from me. But what he did," Terry shook his head, still smiling, "pure genius, in many ways." 

"How so?" 

"Think about it, Luce. Who better to run an escort service than a guy who knows he'll never fall for his clients?" 

Lucy thought about it a moment, then smiled as well. "I see your point." 

"He must've made a bundle, and this certainly explains his lack of calls last week." Terry leaned back in his chair. "Oh, that's just rich. I would've liked to have seen Eric's face when he found out." 

"I think we all would've, but were too scared to." 

Terry nodded, then looked up as the waiter approached. "So, what should we get?"  
~*()*~ 

"I can't believe that you, Kevin Kinkirk, would stoop this low." 

Kevin glanced at a couple walking by, then looked over at his partner, Roxanne. "What are you talking about?" 

"This is the third time we've passed Pete's Pizza. If you're so nervous about that guy with Lucy, why don't you just join them." 

"I'm not nervous. I trust Lucy." 

"Just not him." Roxanne crossed her arms. "You're acting just like Lucy." 

"No I'm not. Unlike Lucy, I checked this guy out." 

Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "You checked him out?" Roxanne looked across the street at the pizza parlor, looking over the young man sitting across from Lucy. "Other than the fact that he's cute, what'd you find out?" 

"He's a male model, eighteen, and that's it." 

"That's it?" 

"It's like he has no past. Everything about him lies in school records, which date back to last year, and the modeling service. There's nothing else that I can find." 

"A man of mystery." Roxanne grinned. "Holds potential." 

"Don't even think about it." Kevin glanced down the street and kept walking. 

Roxanne followed. "What? I can date whoever I want. And he's not too young." 

"There's just...something not right about him. He's hiding something." 

"From the Camdens? I doubt it." 

Kevin shook his head. "No, the Camdens know, it's just everyone else who's in the dark. But I intend to find out what it is." 

Roxanne looked up at the sky. "Kinkirk, you've lost your mind."  
~*()*~ 

"So why can't we be together?" 

Simon rubbed a hand over his face. He'd been refusing Cecilia's calls since the night Claire had had her baby, but apparently the family was tired of her calling due to his lack of response. His mother had run out of excuses for Simon to not accept the call, Lucy was too focused on Kevin at the moment to bother creating a lie, and the others, well, they had their own lives as well. 

"Simon?" 

"I'm on restriction, Cecilia, in case you forgot. You're the one who turned me in, after all. What makes you think I'd even want to go out with you?" 

"You can't tell me you didn't feel the attraction I felt." 

Simon hung his head. "No, I didn't. I'm not interested, Cecilia. So stop calling." 

"Simon, I'm going to need a better explanation than that. A guy like you isn't just uninterested." 

_This is getting out of hand. _"I'm involved with someone, and I have no interest in ending it." 

"I've checked around. You don't have a girlfriend, either at school or outside of it. Lying-" 

"I'm not lying! I'm gay, okay? That's why I'm not interested! I'm gay and happily dating the man of my dreams now would you leave me alone?!" 

There was silence on the other end of the line, and Simon winced as he realized what he had said in the heat of the moment. _Damn it! Here I am walking on tip toes keeping my orientation a secret from Kevin and I go and blab it to a classmate! _"Cecilia?" 

"You'd better be kidding, Simon." 

Simon bit his lip. _If I say I was, she'll keep pestering me. But if I say I wasn't..._ He looked at his bedside table, where he kept two pictures. One was of his family, the other, the one he was staring at, was of Terry. _Terry and I can't keep quiet forever. _"Cecilia, I'm not kidding. It's...a secret I've been keeping for a while." 

Silence was his answer, but Simon knew she was still there. He could hear her breathing. 

"I wouldn't mind just being friends, really. But I'm not interested in you. And...it'd mean a lot if you could keep this quiet for now. I want to come out in my own time." 

There was a pause, then Cecilia finally spoke. "Who is it?" 

"You won't tell anyone?" 

"If you tell me who it is." 

Simon took a deep breath, debating between telling the truth and making up a nonexistent person. _Terry wouldn't want me to lie, though. _"Dax." 

"I see. For now, Simon, your secret is safe. But don't think you're off the hook yet." 

"Cecilia-" But it was too late. She had hung up. Lying back on his bed, Simon closed his eyes. _I can't believe I just did that. Terry shouldn't be angry at me, but if she tells, our last years at high school are going to be hell._

~*()*~ 

"So how was your move into Jordon's girlfriend's house?" 

Terry sighed. "Unfortunately, not good. On our flight over, Sakura got in a car accident." 

Lucy leaned forward. "Is she okay? She didn't-" 

"No, no, she was fine when we arrived, but you know how near-death experiences make you look over your life, right? Well, she decided that Jordon wasn't for her." 

Lucy winced. "Ouch. How'd Jordon take it?" 

"Eh, not so bad at first. It wasn't until we were at a hotel a couple days later that he broke down. It was somewhat pathetic, even. But being the good, devoted brother I was, I helped him through it." 

_"Aniki no baka! Stop being so clingy and pull yourself back together, damnit! You've still got to find a job, apartment, and get ready for school and I'm leaving in less than a month! Stop sucking your thumb! Baka!"_

__"You're a great brother." 

Terry smiled and sipped his drink. "Well, I've had years of practice in helping him. Actually, I was able to get him an apartment near the university that wasn't too much out of his price range, and was near the laboratory he found a job at." He smirked. "It was also two doors down from Kouhaku." 

"Kouhaku?" 

"Oh yeah, you never met her. She's a friend of mine. We met in the modeling business and she's going to Tokyo U as well. Different major, though." 

"Cool. So they're going to commute together?" 

Terry chuckled. "Something like that. After that he and I hung out a bit, visiting some friends, going to our old stomping grounds, even visiting some ruins near Kyoto. It was great." He put his hands behind his head. "I could tell you about what we did for hours." 

Lucy decided it was time for a change of subject. "Mary's dating a guy dad's age." 

Terry looked at Lucy and leaned forward. "I have no brother. Spill." 

Lucy laughed. 

Terry chuckled a bit. "So? Details. This must've caused quite the uproar, and I missed it. Damn." 

"Quite the uproar is a big understatement. It's over now, but for a while it was kinda creepy." 

"I don't doubt it. Though I'm one to talk, being the homosexual child of a set of similar parents." 

"Too true, too true." 

"What about this Kevin fellow and his brother? How has he been working out?" 

Lucy frowned. "Pretty good, except earlier in the week Ben found and read my diary." 

"He didn't." 

Lucy nodded. "And then he not only made fun of me about it, he told Kevin!" 

"If my mother were here, she'd say something along the lines of 'he must pay' and then plot some fiendish plot to embarrass him." Terry examined his drink. "I think we're glad she's not here at the moment." 

"Oh, he'll pay. Eventually. For now I let Ben deal with Ruthie." 

"That's got to be painful." Terry crossed his arms on the table. "But other than his brother being a jerk, have you found anything you dislike about Kevin?" 

Lucy's smiled returned. "Not really, no. He's a great guy, not to mention really cute." 

"Simon's cuter." 

Lucy rolled her eyes. "The problem is, I'm not entirely sure he's right for me." 

Terry raised an eyebrow. "He turns his life around for you, and you're not even sure he's the one?" 

Lucy looked a bit sheepish. "I just want to make sure that whoever I marry is Mr. Right and perfect for me. Like Matt and Sarah. Mom and dad." 

"Me and Simon." 

Lucy nodded. "Exactly. I want to make sure we're a perfect fit, not a temporary one." 

Terry lifted his glass. "I commend you on being so cautious. I have a feeling, though, Kevin's the one for you. You just need to train him a bit." 

Lucy laughed and raised her own glass. "Thanks." 

Terry set his glass down and glanced around the restaurant, taking in the look and feel of it. _Tokyo is so different. I'm still so used to the big town mindset that I feel slightly awkward every time I return here._

"Cecilia, can I help you with something?" 

Terry blinked and looked at the edge of the table. A blond girl, maybe as tall as Terry's chest, was standing there, a purse over one shoulder and a serious look on her face. _So this is the Cecilia Lucy told me about. I guess a normal guy would get jealous over a girl like her._

"Excuse me, are you Dax?" 

Dax blinked. "Yes." 

"The Dax that Simon is currently dating?" 

Lucy shot Terry a worried look, while Terry lowered his voice, though keeping it even. "Yes." 

Cecilia slapped him, hard enough that his head turned to the side. Then she spun on her heals and walked off. 

Lucy looked around the suddenly silent restaurant, giving the other patrons a weak smile. 

Terry gently felt over his stinging cheek, then met the looks of the other restaurant occupants. "Eh heh. Old girlfriend." 

Accepting his lame lie, the other people went back to their own meals and conversations, though every now and then they glanced over. 

Lucy, however, grabbed some ice out her water glass and wrapped it in a napkin. "Let me look at that." 

Terry leaned forward and pulled his hand away. "It's not that bad. It didn't draw any blood." 

Lucy gently dabbed the glowing areas of his cheek with the cold compress. "I don't understand it. I know she's not really an ex-girlfriend, but why would she be hostile? You obviously trust her enough to tell her the truth about you and Simon." 

Terry took the cold napkin from Lucy's hand and held it to his face. "Except I didn't. Something tells me she found out, and wanted to date Simon herself." 

Lucy glanced at the entrance to the restaurant. "You don't think she'd go and tell the whole school, do you?" 

"I don't know." Terry opened and shut his mouth, double checking his jawbone. "I'm hoping not. I'll try talking with her, but we'll probably find out on Monday." 

Lucy sighed and pulled out her wallet. "I'll get the check. You should go home and put some real ice on that." 

"Right. I'll call Simon later, find out if he knows anything." Terry sighed and looked around the restaurant. _It was only a matter of time. Simon and I have been preparing the community to accept homosexuals, but I don't know if they're ready yet, especially the teenagers. If this is any indication, though, our time is about up, if not gone already._ He followed Lucy as she stood and headed for the door. _Simon's not going to like it, but it's time we told his extended family. And then, the community._

~*()*~ 

"Whoa. That was one nasty slap." 

"I can't believe Lucy just...helped him afterward." 

"He's her friend." Roxanne placed her hands on her hips. "Kinkirk, you do realize you sound just like Lucy, right? Jealous, suspicious, crazy-" 

"I think I have a right to be about this guy. No history, an obvious flirt-" 

Roxanne waved her finger at him. "Just because he's a model and looks great doesn't mean he's a flirt." 

"I just don't trust him. Especially around Lucy." 

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "You've been with Lucy way too long. You even sound like her." She grabbed his jacket and dragged him away from the restaurant. "Let's move it. We still have to finish patrolling." 

Kevin pulled his jacket free and walked after his partner, throwing back a quick glance at the restaurant as Terry and Lucy got into her car, before focusing on his job.  
~*()*~ 

Lucy found Simon lying on his bed when she got home, obviously upset. Checking to make sure Kevin and Ben weren't around, she shut the door behind her and sat on his bed. "Hey." 

Simon remained silent, an arm over his eyes. 

Lucy pushed forward. "We had a nice lunch." 

"I told Cecilia Terry and I were gay and now she's going to ruin everything for us at school." 

Lucy blinked. "Okay. Why did you tell her?" 

Simon lifted his arm and looked at her with blue eyes. "She's been calling constantly and she just bugged me to the point where," he sighed, "where it slipped out." 

Lucy rubbed Simon's other arm, which was loose at his side. "Maybe she won't tell the school. Maybe she'll keep it a secret." 

"She said that, but I don't believe it." He looked at the pictures on his bed table again. "And I'm worried Terry will be upset." 

_I doubt he'll be too upset. He wasn't that angry after what happened._ "Well, I'm sure he'll understand. Actually, Cecilia paid us a visit at Pete's." 

Simon lifted his head, his brow furrowed. "She what?" 

"She came in and, well, slapped Terry." 

"She what?!" Simon sat up fully. "I can't believe she'd...she'd..." Simon closed his eyes. "I guess I can believe she'd do that. But in front of you and everyone at Pete's?" 

Lucy nodded. "On the plus side, Terry got us out of it by saying she was an ex-girlfriend." 

"Oh, great." Simon lay back down, this time on his side and propping his head up with his hand. "I'm so stupid! I let someone like her rile me to the point where I tell my biggest secret? What if it had been the Colonel? I'd be in an even situation!" He shook his head. "What is it Terry calls his brother? Baka? That's what I feel like." 

"You're not a," Lucy frowned a moment, trying to remember what the word meant. "An idiot, Simon. It could've happened to any of us." 

"But I can't just tell anybody the truth. The family took it hard. I haven't even told the Kinkirks at your and Terry's request." The fingers on his free hand twitched slightly. 

Lucy pushed her hair behind her ear. "You know what I think it is?" 

Simon looked at her. "What?" 

"You've been keeping the truth from the world for almost a year, and it's starting to take a toll on you. Camdens aren't good at keeping secrets, and even worse at lying. You've been lying for about nine months straight. Not even Ruthie can accomplish that." 

Simon sat back up, reaching for his guitar. "That makes sense...but I have to keep the lie up-" 

"Until Terry goes to college? Until you leave for college? Simon, it's time to give up the lie." Lucy looked at her watch. "Terry'll probably call. Talk to him about coming out. Completely. His lying to us was hurting him. Now your lying to the community is hurting you." 

Simon plunked one of the strings absently and nodded. "Alright. Thanks Luce." 

"Any time. And now, I have to go work on an essay for school. I'll see you at dinner, okay?" 

"Yeah." 

Lucy smiled and left. 

Simon sat there, strumming the strings of his instrument. Terry had been helping him learn to play since he had received it as a gift, and Simon even invested some of his own money to pay for a couple lessons while Terry was gone. He found that when he wasn't sure what to say, or when he didn't want to talk to anybody and just wanted to think, the music from the stringed instrument helped. _Like Terry and his flute. _He glanced at the phone. He wasn't supposed to make calls while on restriction, but Lucy was right: Terry would call, and he'd be waiting. 

~*()*~ 

"Terry, I'm sorry." 

Terry shook his head. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Simon. You've told me what happened, and anyone in your position could've let the truth slip." 

"You wouldn't have." 

"Stop being so hard on yourself. I'm not perfect. I've had years of hiding the real me from the public eye. You've barely had any time. I'm not angry or upset. It's just something that happened." Terry checked his face in the mirror. _Still a bit red._ "It did make me think, though." 

"Me too." 

"Then you go first." 

Simon shifted the phone to his other ear. He only had a few minutes before his parents' cutoff time for this call. "We should come out. To my family, to the community, to everyone. It's killing me to keep this secret. I stink at lying, and Cecilia cornered me. Other people are bound to do the same." 

"Funny enough, I was thinking along the same lines. But not too quickly. Eric has one more sermon on acceptance, then we should tell your extended family first. They have a right to know before the general populace." 

Simon nodded. "Alright." 

"You should tell them in person, if possible. Is there any time your family's going to come and visit?" 

Simon looked at his calendar. "Thanksgiving." 

Terry nodded. "Perfect. I have no plans." 

"Jordon isn't coming home?" 

"He's saving up for Christmas. I was thinking of spending some time at a food kitchen, or maybe go with one of the companies I model for to kick off their Christmas food drive. But Thanksgiving day and the day after, nobody works." 

"Alright. We'll tell them then." Simon looked at the door, hearing footsteps approaching. "I've got to go, now." 

"Okay. Love you, and see you Monday." 

"Bye." Simon hung up the phone. 

Terry hung up as well, holding onto the phone a moment. He pulled out the student directory for the high school and flipped through it. _First, though, let's handle this situation, so we can come out at our own pace._

~*()*~ 

Terry stood as Cecilia approached the table at the Dairy Shack, smiling slightly and bowing his head. "Thanks for agreeing to meet me." 

"I'm not here because I want to be. I'm here to find out the whole truth." 

Terry nodded. "Fair enough." He waived to the seat across from him and sat down. "I'm guessing your father also had a say in it?" 

"Whatever you said convinced him I'd better come." She sat and crossed her arms. 

"I may not be mom, but I inherited some of her persuasive talents." Terry folded his hands together. "Want anything to eat? I'll buy." 

"I'm not hungry, thanks." 

Terry shrugged in agreement. _Time to cut it with the formalities. _"Alright, that was fun. Let's hear what you're really thinking." 

"Very well. I think you're one of the lowest, most disgusting men alive, and if I had my way I'd tell the whole town so they'd force you out." 

"And I think you're a manipulative and selfish brat who should be more open-minded and accept no as an answer." Terry ran a hand through his hair. "Feel better?" 

"Oh yeah." Cecilia looked around the restaurant. "Why here?" 

"It's the one place Simon and I haven't gone to. Yet. And I don't think it'd be appropriate for us to appear at Pete's after your little demonstration earlier today." 

"Wise move." 

Terry waited a few minutes. "So are you going to tell anyone?" 

"I haven't decided yet." 

Terry took a deep breath. "May I then appeal to your compassion? Simon and I want to inform everyone in our own time. Probably by the end of the year. If you let it out now, it could ruin the rest of his time in high school." 

"And your time." 

"I can take care of myself, and frankly, I can graduate high school without attending one. I'll just go to a junior college, or have my sensei come out of retirement for a few months." Terry locked his golden eyes with Cecilia's. "I don't care how my high school year ends, but I want his to be as pleasant as possible, even with him coming out. We're going to try and do it smoothly, but we both know that it's going to be rocky for a while." 

"And what about me? What do I get for keeping this secret?" 

"Simon doesn't mind being your friend. You'd also have both our gratitude." 

"That's it?" Cecilia tapped her fingers on the table. 

"Don't try blackmail on me. I've dealt with it before, and believe me, I can blow you out of the water. I can get your father's named smeared across the newspapers so badly he won't be able to step out of his home." Terry sat straighter. "I'd rather it didn't come to that. You seem, deep down, like a nice person." 

"That may be, but I don't want to be friends with you. Or with any gay man." 

"Then how about a truce. We won't bother you, you don't bother us. Or tell anyone the truth." 

"What if I don't bother you but still tell the truth? That you and Simon are gay? What would you do?" Cecilia smirked. "Attack me?" 

"In a sense. Do you know how much weight a model's word carries? Especially when he starts a rumor about, oh, a person being a lesbian." 

Cecilia's smirk vanished and she frowned. "You wouldn't dare." 

"You hurt Simon in any way, and you'll find I can be just as cruel as you. I love him, and I won't let you or anyone hurt him with lies or the truth. We'll come out when we're ready." 

Cecilia's shoulders slumped. "Fine. You ignore me, I'll ignore you. And I won't tell anyone." 

Terry nodded. "Good. And remember, I have ears everywhere. I'll be making sure you keep silent." 

Cecilia grumbled and stood, gathering her purse. 

"Oh, and Cecilia?" 

Cecilia looked at him. 

Terry rubbed his cheek. "No hard feelings about earlier." 

Cecilia shook her head and left. 

Terry sat there, pondering what he'd done. _That was low even for me. Mom would be proud, but Simon and the Camdens might not be. I'll definitely have to tell him what I did at some point. Maybe after he's off restriction. _

~*()*~ 

Simon looked up from Beowulf and paused his CD player. A moment later, he heard the knock again. "Come in?" 

Kevin opened the door. "Hey, mind if I come in?" 

Simon shrugged marked his place in the book. "Not really. What's up?" 

Kevin sat in the desk chair and faced Simon. "I want to know what the big secret about Terry is." 

"Dax. To you he's Dax." 

"I don't really care what he wants me to call him. I want to know what he's hiding." 

Simon bristled slightly. Even though he didn't totally understand Terry's reasons for differing formalities, he and everyone he knew followed it. "To you, he's Dax. When you get to know him better, maybe you can call him Terry. And there's no secret." 

"Not among you Camdens. You know it. Lucy knows it. Even Robbie knows it. Ben and I are the only ones left out of the loop, and I am going to be a part of this family. I think I have a right to know any secrets I'm marrying into." 

Simon crossed his arms. "With an attitude like that, you're going to find out squat. Terry'll tell you when, and whenever, he's ready to." _Or I'll tell you when I'm sure you won't break it off with Lucy. _

Kevin crossed his own arms. "I'm a policeman, Simon. It's my duty to ensure nothing illegal is going on." 

_Who does this guy think he is?_ "If something illegal was going on, you can be sure I'd be the first to tell you." Simon picked up Beowulf again. "If you don't mind, I've got English Lit to work on." 

"I do mind, and I want an answer. Now." 

Simon scoffed. "You're not Matt! You're not even family! I don't have to tell you anything I don't want to." Simon nodded to the door. "You can go." 

"I'm not going until I have some answers." 

"Then go ask Lucy. She knows everything Simon does." 

Simon and Kevin both turned towards the door, where Robbie was standing with a dictionary. Simon, who was beginning feel nervous about Kevin's questioning, felt relieved to see the adopted Camden family member in his room. 

"Don't you ever knock, Robbie?" 

"I told Simon I'd be right back. He was listening to music, so I figured he wouldn't hear me knock." Robbie walked over and set the dictionary by Simon's leg. "Thanks." 

"No prob." Simon gave Robbie a quick, pleading glance. _Get this guy outta here._

Robbie got the message and headed for the door. "Kevin, if you really want to know the secret, I'll tell you." 

Kevin gave Robbie a dubious look. "Why would you tell me?" 

"One, I'm not a true Camden, and two, it's not that big a deal to me. Now leave Simon alone. He's trying to work on his homework." 

Kevin faced Simon again. 

Simon, however, had grabbed his earphones and plugged back into his CD player, picking up where he had left off in his book. 

Kevin stood. "This better be good." 

Robbie headed towards his room. "It's no big deal, really." He went in and sat at the desk, where he was working on his own essay for microeconomics. 

Kevin leaned against the door frame. "Well? I'm listening." 

"Terry just helped Simon and the family through a rough time in their lives. Simon was feeling a bit down, and Terry brought him out of the depression." 

Kevin waited. "That's it?" 

"Hey, if you were part of this family, would you want the fact that your kid was depressed to leak out? It was devastating enough when the truth leaked out about Mary's behavior." 

Kevin shook his head and left. 

Robbie waited a few minutes, then got up and glanced down the hall. _He's gone._ He went over to Simon's room and went back in. 

Simon looked up, worried for a moment that Kevin had returned. He relaxed, though, when he saw it was Robbie, and removed his earphones. "Thanks, man. I don't know if I could've held out much longer. What'd you tell him, anyway?" 

"That you were in a depression and Terry helped you out of it." Robbie scratched his head. "It's the partial truth." 

Simon looked down at his book again. "A partial truth is still a lie. And I think he knows that was a lie." 

"It got rid of him, though." 

"True." 

Robbie watched Simon. "He has to know sometime. Lucy plans on marrying him." 

Simon sighed. "I know, I know. And when we're ready, we'll tell him. It's just, right now's not a good time." 

Robbie ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know. Well, I've got to get back to my homework." 

"Me too. Thanks again." 

"No problem." 

Kevin, standing in the twins' room, narrowed his eyes. _So he was lying. They'll tell me when they're ready? I'm going to be Lucy's husband. I have a right to know now._ He leaned away from the connecting doors and headed for the door to the hall. _There's only one answer if the Camdens won't tell me. I'll have to corner this Terry._

~*()*~ 

"He's going to trap and ask you eventually." 

"Hai, hai." Terry flipped through his latest magazine of Farscape, or more accurately, his brother's latest magazine of Farscape. _There are some perks to him leaving after all._

"Don't think I can't hear you going through my stuff over the phone." 

Terry wrinkled his nose at the speakerphone. "What're you going to do about it, baka? You're in Japan." 

Jordon grumbled. "Just forward it when you're done." 

"Will do, will do. You know, we haven't heard from Uncle Ben in a while." 

"He's been a busy Godfather. And you know the only reason he agreed was because he was mom's old flame." 

"But he sent us cards." 

"Sent you cards. He hardly noticed me." 

"You were too serious. I got all the jokes he told." Terry tossed the magazine onto the desk and crossed his arms. "Do you think I was out of line with Cecilia?" 

"How many ways can I say yes?" 

"Seriously, aniki." 

"Seriously?" Jordon thought a moment. "You weren't as bad as mom, but were worse than me." 

Terry rubbed his eyes. "That's helpful." 

"I wouldn't have threatened her, or even confronted her." 

"You wouldn't have been in my position in the first place." Terry stretched and removed his shirt, tossing it into a basket with other dirty laundry. "Mom would've gone straight for the threatening. At least I pleaded with her first." 

"Yes, I am grateful for that." Jordon sighed as a thump was heard in the background. "I'll be right back. Someone's at the door." 

"You didn't order pizza again, did you?" 

Terry got no response, but an instant later he learned it wasn't the pizza delivery person who had knocked. 

"Terry! You little sneak! I still can't believe you stuck him two doors down from me!" 

"Hey, Amber." 

"Don't you hey me! And stop stripping!" 

Terry paused in undoing his jeans and stared at the phone. "You're half a world away. What do you care?" 

"It's rude! And I'm gonna bug you for what you did every way I can!" 

Terry pinched the bridge of his nose, then continued undressing. "And here I thought you'd be happy." 

"Baka!" 

Jordon spoke up at that point. "It's nice that the word wasn't directed at me, for once." 

"Baka." Terry sat down and pulled off his pants. "Look, Kouhaku, I was having a very serious discussion with aniki. Can you call me tomorrow or something?" 

"Can't. Working. But what's the conversation about?" 

Terry heard Jordon quickly fill Amber in. "What he just told you." 

"Well, you were in line, in my opinion. Hell, if I had been there-" 

"Enough said." Terry knew his friend enough that he didn't want to know what she would have done. "I'm just wondering if Simon will think it's okay." 

"I'm sure he will. He's a nice guy." 

"And he does love you, ototou. After his initial shock, I'm sure he'll realize it was for the best." 

"You could just not tell him, you know. I never tell my boyfriends half of what I do." 

Terry rolled his eyes. "Yes, I know. That's how you can date up to three men at once. And I'm not going to not tell him. I love Simon, and that means no secrets. Coming out is a very sensitive issue. Secrets there could cause real problems." 

"Fine, fine. Well, I'm gonna steal your brother. It's karaoke couples at the bar two blocks down. Ja ne!" 

"Um, Kouhaku, I really don't want to-" 

"Sayonara, aniki." Terry hung up and climbed into his bed. _Glad to see those two are getting along. And they're right, I guess. I just need to find the right time to tell them. And Kevin. And the extended family. _He closed his eyes. _This is going to be one rough end of the year. _

__~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~ 

Aniki no baka: idiot older brother 

Baka: idiot 

Hai: yes 

Kouhaku: amber 

Ototou: younger brother 

Aniki: older brother 

Ja ne: later, bye 

Sayonara: good-bye 

Author's Prattle: As promised, here's chapter seventeen. I sacrificed my bio reports (I'm going to try and get them done tomorrow) to get it out. I have a Lab Practical and another exam in two weeks, so writing will be slower as I approach that time. Also, my birthday is next weekend (wai!), and as such, I won't be doing much writing (except maybe at work). I've figured it takes about three to four hours to write a chapter, and unfortunately, it's rare I can do it all at once. However, be grateful for my Macroeconomics class, as I get an hour to write while the teacher drones on about supply and demand or some such. And yes, I am kinda anti-Cecilia, but I tried to justify my writing her out of the script, and I do like Kevin and his attitude will improve, it's just that in the beginning, well, he was a jerk. Also, I don't own Farscape (and I'm upset their ending it a season early!), but it's a great science fiction series from SciFi, though a bit mature compared to 7th Heaven. I also don't own Beowulf, and I almost read it, but chose Jane Eyre instead (was that the wrong thing to do). Any who, feedback and reviews are always welcome. Thanks for reading! 


	18. Matters of the Heart, Matters at Hand

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right in the World**

_By Cypher_

Chapter Eighteen: Matters of the Heart, Matters at Hand 

"I still feel so guilty for saying that. And now he's in surgery." 

Terry rubbed Simon's back. He would hug his boyfriend, but unfortunately they were in a hospital lounge. Ten days had passed since Terry's return, and while Simon was now off restriction, his father, Eric, had to have bypass surgery, so they were staying at the hospital for the day. "You were upset, Simon." 

"But I meant it! That's why it feels so bad." Simon closed his eyes. 

_"At the bowling alley, you said you were scared of what would happen if you weren't around to teach the things that you want me to learn. I'll tell you what would happen if you weren't around. I'd be a normal guy, without having to live up to your ideas of what's right and what's wrong. I'd be out there making my own mistakes, learning my own lessons, without having to be treated like some juvenile delinquent. I'd be less in the spotlight, part of the crowd. I'd be happy."_

_"Simon, you don't mean that."_

_"I think I do."_

_"I love you."_

_"Just love me less, would you?"_

"Your a teenager, Simon. Every teenager rebels in their own way. You were expressing your feelings, which is more than most people do. You meant it at the time, but now you're sorry for it. It happens. I've said hurtful things to Jordon, and we've always made up. And you apologized. He's forgiven you, and everything will be fine when it's over." 

"But your brother was never in heart surgery! What if he doesn't make it? What if I don't have the chance to truly make up for what I said?" Simon rubbed his eyes. 

"You can't think like that. He'll make it through this." 

"You don't know that." 

Terry sighed. "I can hope." He looked at his watch. "Why don't you go get something to eat, take some time to think about what you're going to say after he comes out of surgery. Maybe talk to someone about Claire, too, hmm?" 

Simon nodded and got up, leaving Terry alone in the waiting room. 

_From being angry at Mary and Matt to still being upset at what happened with Claire to just being upset with himself. Nothing like a medical crisis to stir an emotional storm._ He stood and headed for the waiting room Annie was in. 

She looked up at he approached. "Where's Simon?" 

"Off thinking. He might leave for a while, but he'll be back." 

Annie smiled weakly. "Thanks." 

Terry shrugged and sat on the floor in front of a chair, crossing his legs. "He's got inner demons to quell. I'm helping how I can, but it ultimately depends on him." 

"I guess." 

"How're you holding up?" 

"Okay, considering the circumstances." 

"You don't look okay." 

Annie leaned back in her chair. "My husband's having surgery. Wouldn't you be anxious if it were Simon?" 

"Touche." Terry closed his eyes, taking some calming breaths. 

Annie watched him for a moment, before she realized he was entering a meditative state. _How can he meditate at a time like this? Well, it isn't the man he loves in surgery. _"How can you be so calm? Don't you fear for Eric's life?" 

Terry blinked and opened his eyes. "Annie, I consider Eric a very dear friend, and I am worried. But worrying isn't going to do anything. We have to think positively. Negative thoughts will only make the situation worse." He shifted his weight, moving slightly. "Besides, it's just a heart bypass." 

"Just a heart bypass? You say that as if it's nothing." 

"It isn't nothing, and with any surgery there's a chance of something going wrong, but bypass surgery is successfully completed hundreds of times a day all over the country. I know it's difficult for those really close to the person in surgery, but it's not a difficult or very risky procedure. It's pretty standard, actually." 

"That doesn't help." 

"I wasn't trying to help, I was explaining why I'm so calm. You see, Annie, panicking won't help Eric or us. All we can do is pray and send Eric good thoughts. That's what I'm trying to do, and that's all any of us can do. So I'll offer emotional support for all of you, and I'll wish Eric well, but I am not going to go nuts worrying." 

Annie crossed her arms. "I am not going nuts. I'm just worried about my husband." 

Terry closed his eyes. "I never said you were nuts." 

_I'm sure._ Annie let Terry get his meditation underway and tried to calm herself down. Despite the implication that she was nuts, he did make a good point that panicking wasn't going to help Eric. _Doesn't mean I'll stop worrying, though. _

~*()*~ 

Terry finished wiping down the Camden kitchen counter and pulled the gloves off his hands. After he had learned Eric made it through the surgery and the family had visited him, he drove over to the Camden household. He knew the Camden family wouldn't be home for at least another few hours, and the baby-sitter of Sam and David probably wanted to go home. 

So he went to the house, took over the baby-sitting and relived the current baby-sitter, then put the twins to bed. _They're getting big fast. I wonder if Simon looked like that when he was little. Note to self, find photo albums with Simon as a kid._

After Sam and David were asleep, he went downstairs and began cleaning the house a bit. It was depriving Annie of something she probably needed to channel her feelings, but Terry believed that one should confront their feelings, not ignore it and put its energy into another task. _Besides, it's not like I'm doing the laundry._ He almost had done that, but after seeing the pile size, he had decided against it. 

So he cleaned up the kitchen. Washed the dishes, the floor, the counters, whatever needed his attention he focused on. As he finished, he looked at the fridge. _I wonder..._ He went over and opened it, eyeing its contents. _I'll cook some things for them. Annie doesn't need that chore while she recovers emotionally._ He closed the door and glanced at his watch. _Not bad for eighty minutes. _

"Terry?" 

Terry turned and smiled at Simon. "Hey, welcome back." 

Simon walked in, surprised at the clean kitchen. "I wondered where you went. I didn't think you'd...have you been cleaning all evening?" 

Terry rubbed Simon's shoulder. "Of course not. I put the twins to bed, too." 

Annie walked in behind Simon, setting her purse on a chair and grabbing the dish gloves Terry had recently discarded. She paused putting them on, however, when she saw no dishes in the sink. "Where...?" She looked around. 

"I cleaned up while you were calming down." Terry went over and gently took the gloves from her. "You guys should head for bed. It's been a hard day for all of you." 

Simon walked over to Terry and hugged him, resting his chin on his shoulder. "Thanks." 

Terry rubbed Simon's back. He could tell Simon had gotten out everything that was weighing on him by how relaxed and peaceful his body felt. _I'm glad you're feeling better. I was beginning to worry._

Simon pulled away and rubbed his eyes. The emotional strain of the day was catching up to him. He hadn't felt this tired since, well, since he'd told the family about being gay. "I'll see you tomorrow, kay?" 

"Of course." Terry watched Simon retreat upstairs, stopping only briefly to hug his mother. 

Annie waited until Simon was gone, then nodded at Terry. "Thanks. You didn't have to." 

Terry shrugged. "You would've done it for me." He smiled and nodded towards the stairs. "Now go, check on your twins and get some sleep. I know you want to." 

Annie patted the counter before turning and following Simon upstairs. 

Terry closed his eyes and rested against the fridge door. _Poor guys. Sarah's probably called Matt to let him know it went well. As for Mary...someone will tell her._

"What're you doing here?" 

_Ah yes. I forgot he lived here too._ Terry opened his eyes and eyed the elder Kinkirk brother. "Resting my eyes. What'd it look like?" 

Kevin crossed his arms. "You know what I mean. Shouldn't you be at your home?" 

Terry pushed off from the fridge and slid around Kevin, grabbing his jacket from the peg by the door. "Now that the Camdens are home, yeah." 

"What are you even doing here in the first place?" 

Terry shrugged his jacket on and raised an amused eyebrow. "Who died and made you Matt?" He searched his pockets for his keys. "Not that it matters, but I cleaned the kitchen for Annie and the others. I figured with everything that went on today, they would be pretty exhausted and not want to have to deal with the mess." 

"Fine." Kevin stepped towards Terry. "Now can you tell me what this family is hiding about you?" 

Terry shrugged. "It's a need to know basis." He pulled his keys out and grabbed his helmet from a chair. 

"I'm a police officer, and I'm marrying into this family. I have a right to know." 

Terry laughed lightly and picked up the phone. "Hello, ego patrol? I'd like to report a major spillage." 

Kevin frowned, taking another step towards his intended target. 

Terry hung up the phone. "Look, Kevin, you're a nice guy, but we'll tell you when we're ready. And FYI, being a police officer does not give you special privileges." He opened the backdoor. "My mom's ruined enough police careers that I know you're as human as I am, and deserve no special dispensation for your position. Now, I suggest you get some sleep too. You have work tomorrow." Terry shut the door. 

Ben walked into the kitchen and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Who ya glaring at?" 

Kevin turned around. "This Terry guy." 

"Is he the one you were telling me about? Suspicious, no history, and hangs around Lucy a lot." 

"That's the one." Kevin looked at the backdoor as he heard a motorcycle pull away. "I'll find out what he's hiding." 

Ben shrugged. "Maybe it's not that important." 

"No, it is. So important that Lucy's keeping it a secret from me." 

Ben rubbed his chin. "I could talk to Ruthie." 

"Good luck. No, I just have to catch him when he's off balance." Kevin went out the back door, heading for the garage. 

Ben shook his head and followed his brother. 

~*()*~ 

Annie yawned and headed downstairs. It was six-thirty in the morning, and no matter how much she wanted to sleep, it was her duty to get everyone up and moving, back to a normal schedule of going to school. 

Going in the kitchen and grabbing the coffee pot, she patted the person leaning into the fridge on the back. As she was filling the pot with water, however, she realized something. _All the kids are in bed, Kevin and Ben sleep until later. That means-_

A hand rested on her shoulder and she jumped, yelling and throwing the pot into the air. 

Terry caught it, though his upper body was soaked with the water that had been spilled. He closed his eyes a moment, then looked at Annie. "Good morning to you too." 

"Terry, you scared me!" 

"I guessed as much." Terry grabbed a towel and began wiping off his face. "Well, now I don't need to shower again for work." 

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just I wasn't fully awake and everyone's asleep so I didn't expect somebody in here." 

"Speaking of being asleep, why aren't you?" Terry set the towel down and handed the pot back to the Camden matriarch. 

She sheepishly took it and began filling it again. "I have to get everyone ready for school. That means making breakfast, the lunches-" 

"I don't think so." 

Annie looked at Terry. "Excuse me?" 

Terry leaned on the counter. "Yesterday was trying for all of you. You all need a day off to recover, some physically as well as emotionally. Simon was drained when I hugged him last night, and I wouldn't be surprised if he slept until noon. Just give them another day off." 

"Thanks, Terry, but I think I know what's best for my children." She took the filled pot and poured it into the coffee maker. 

Terry opened the cookie jar and took one out. "Have you ever had to deal with the aftermath of a heart surgery, though?" 

"No, have you?" 

Terry nodded. "Well, not really heart surgery. They were repairing a lung." 

Annie tilted her head. "I didn't know your mom had surgery." 

"Not my mom. A friend of mine from Denver. His father got shot in a robbery. The family was so exhausted none of them even got up until about one in the afternoon the next day." He munched on the cookie. "Surgery is a strenuous thing. The patient isn't the only one who needs time for recovery. Give them a day, then put them back on schedule." 

Annie poured in the coffee grounds and turned on the machine, thinking. She finally looked at Terry. "Fine. One day." She put her hands on her hips. "And what are you doing here? At this hour?" 

Terry put the cookie in his mouth and held up a finger. Then he went over and opened the fridge, waving his hand over the shelves. 

Annie pulled one of the saran-wrapped dishes out. "You cooked for us?" 

Terry finished the cookie and nodded. "I figured you'd be too tired to cook, and this would give you a break to handle whatever you needed to. Emotionally, or around the house. There's enough for today and tomorrow. After that, you're on your own." 

She pulled the wrap back and sniffed it. "Thanks. What is this?" 

"Game hen. It's prepared, just needs to sit in the over for a while. Ask Simon, he knows how to handle it." Terry looked at his watch. "I've got to go. I stayed up most of the night cooking, and now I've got to head to a quick photo shoot before school." He headed for the door. "You want me to stop by after school?" 

"Yeah, that'd be great. Simon would appreciate it too." 

Terry smiled and left. 

Simon came down a few minutes later, scratching his head, and looked at his mother, who was now sniffing another plate. "Did I hear Terry?" 

"You just missed him. He'll be back this afternoon." She looked over at her son. He had deep, dark circles under his eyes, and he leaned on the wall, swaying slightly. "You should go back to bed." 

"So should you." 

Annie put the dish back and closed the fridge. _Just as the coffee's coming out, too. _Still, both he and Terry had a point, and she was pretty tired. _I've got things to do. And the twins'll be on their normal rhythm. _"I'll take a nap later. You go back to bed, get as much sleep as you need." There was no response, and she glanced over at Simon. 

Simon was asleep against the wall. 

Annie smiled lightly, went over and wrapped one of his arms around her neck. "Come on." 

Simon was jostled awake enough to walk up the stairs without being carried. _Guess I was more tired than I thought. _He collapsed on his bed and fell back asleep. 

Annie watched him rest for a few moments before remembering she had to take care of the twins, without Eric. _Oh boy. Maybe I should've asked Terry to stay after all._

~*()*~ 

"Tadaima!" 

Simon and Lucy looked up from the kitchen table as Terry entered the kitchen. Lucy smiled, as did Simon, though he actually got up and went over to hug his boyfriend. 

Terry hugged him back. "Hey, sleepy one. Rest well?" He kissed Simon's cheek. 

Simon flushed slightly. "Yeah, thanks to you. Mom told us you convinced her to let us stay home." 

"From how you were yesterday, I figured you could use a break." 

"Hey, what about me?" Lucy pushed out the chair across from her with her foot. 

Simon and Terry walked over holding hands, before breaking their grip, Simon sitting in the chair he was before, Terry taking the seat Lucy had kicked out. "I can tell you slept well. My guess is you dreamt about your future wedding?" 

Lucy shrugged and put her hands together. "Maybe." 

Simon chuckled. 

"So where's everyone else?" 

"Well, Ruthie went with mom and the twins to do some shopping, and Robbie's at work." Simon reached over and took Terry's hand. 

"Kevin's at work too, and Ben's keeping dad...keeping dad company." The smile on Lucy's face fell. 

Terry noted that Simon's did as well. _Well, enough's enough. He made it through fine. _"Okay, enough of this moping about Eric's condition. He's fine and we need to take our minds off his state of being and concentrate on something fun." He thought for a moment. "So what do you want to be for Halloween?" 

Simon shrugged. "I don't really care. Halloween's fun, but it's never been too big around here." 

"You can thank dad for that." Lucy rested her arms on the table. 

"Wow. It's always been a big deal at our house." Terry crossed his arms and nodded. "Every year it was something different. We loved to dress up and go to parties and contests." 

"Really?" Lucy raised her eyebrows. 

Simon leaned forward as well. "What was it like?" 

Terry closed one eye in thought. "Well, last year..." 

~*()*~ 

"Why do I have to be Sesshu-Maru?" 

"Stop whining." Terry fiddled with the white ears on top of his head. "You get to be him because you're aniki." 

"But I suck at being evil!" 

Terry folded his hands into his loose-fitting red robes. "Can I take Simon out to McCarther's point?" 

Jordon growled. "No! You're too young for that." 

"See? You can be evil." 

Jordon rolled his eyes. "I just hate this make-up and the wig and everything." 

Terry strapped the sword around his waist. "I just think you're jealous because I get Kagome." 

"Who'd you get to do that?" 

"Kouhaku."  
"Figures." Jordon looked at the claws he had pasted onto his nails. "You can take Kagome for all I care. I always thought she was a bit weak." 

"Oh I'm weak, am I?" 

Jordon swallowed and looked behind him to see Amber, all dressed up in a Japanese high school uniform for girls, with a bow in her hand and a quill of arrows strapped to her back. "Heh, hey Kouhaku. I didn't mean you. I meant the girl in the series, the one who can't shoot worth squat." 

Amber narrowed her eyes. "Can't shoot worth squat, eh?" She pulled out an arrow and placed it against the string. 

Terry quickly ducked out of the way. 

Jordon took a few slow steps back. "Eep." 

"You'd better believe it." Amber let the arrow fly. 

Jordon dodged the shot and ran outside. 

"Come back here you coward!" Amber ran after him. 

Terry glanced at a clock and sighed, falling back on his couch. "We're going to be late for the party, now." 

~*()*~ 

Lucy's mouth was hanging open. "You're kidding, right?" 

Terry shook his head. "Aniki and Kouhaku came back in thirty minutes later, and he had to reapply all his make up while she and I fixed the hole in his costume." 

"Were they all like that?" 

Terry smiled at Simon. "No, not at all. In fact the year before..."  
~*()*~ 

"And the winner of this year's costume contest is," the announcer, dressed as a vampire, opened the envelope from the judges. "Surprise, surprise. It's Jordon, Dax and Amber." He waited for the light applause to die down. "Jordon as Clow Reed." 

Jordon stepped up onto the stage, small glasses and a slight smile on his face. His normally chaotic hair was slicked back and he was adorned in navy robes with golden inscriptions. In his right hand he held a golden staff with that had a giant sun imposed over the moon at the top of it. 

"Dax as Yue." 

The audience did applaud as Terry stepped up. His eyes, a bright silver, held no emotion, and he maintained his serious expression. The white robes he wore both revealed and hid his true form. Behind his bare feet rested a small train of the ponytail from his white hair. The most impressive feature, however, were the giant white wings that, while most of the time remained still, fluttered every now and then as if they were real. He took his place next to his brother, closed his eyes and crossed his arms. 

"And Amber as Nakuru." 

"Yay!" Amber, her hair dyed crimson with two buns on top and two pony tails behind her, bounded onto the stage, her black and red butterfly wings flapping slightly as she jumped into place next to Jordon. Her black dress had a slit up the side that showed some leg, and the top of it, disconnected from the black sleeves and red collar, helped to emphasize her form. She was grinning widely and held up her two fingers in a 'V'. 

~*()*~ 

"That certainly sounds like fun." 

Lucy rubbed her chin. "Alright, I'm curious, what happened the year before that?" 

Terry tilted his head back, his eyes moving back and forth as they searched for the memory... 

~*()*~ 

"Aniki! Why'd we have to dress in drag?" Terry was blushing and trying very hard to cover his legs. 

Jordon, as red-faced as Terry, looked around before answering. "Because you wanted to do a Magic Knights Rayearth theme and none of the male costumes fit you! You were too big for Ascot and too small for Lantis." 

"But..as the Magic Knights themselves?!" Terry looked down at his costume: a blue fuku with beige armor overlapping his upper chest and left shoulder, trimmed with gold and blue jewels. He had on matching boots that covered his calves up to his knees, and on his right hand was a fingerless glove with a large blue sphere. He was wearing a blue wing with hair that went down to his mid back. 

"It was all that was left!" Jordon was dressed the same as Terry, with some minor differences. His fuku was emerald, as were the jewels on his armor and glove. He had on a blond wig that was shoulder length and curled inward at the edges. His boots were only ankle high, and his upper armor didn't have a large shoulder plate, but a slight one covering his left shoulder. He also wore large round glasses. "Stop complaining!" 

"I'm Umi, it's my job to complain!" 

"At least Kouhaku showed up so it fit the whole theme. It would've been worse if there were only two Magic Knights." 

"You mean that Kouhaku?!" Terry pointed to the ground where Amber, dressed in the same armor with her shoulder plate on the right and boots calf high, was rolling on the ground laughing, her arms wrapped around her stomach. The red jewels shook from their glued position, and the pink wig of wild shoulder-length hair was about to fall off. It was obvious to everyone who she was laughing at. 

Jordon sighed. "Maybe it'd be best if we just stayed home this year." 

"You think?" Terry growled at Amber, then got an idea. "Hey aniki, we still have that Mokona plushie hanging around?" 

Jordon nodded and left, returning after a minute with the white egg-shapped thing. "Yeah. Whatcha gonna do?" 

Terry took the plushie and grinned. "I always had a mean throw. Think fast, Hikaru!" He threw the plushie straight at Amber's face. 

Amber paused in laughing just long enough to get a face full of fluff. 

"Ah, you know Mokona. He just loves Hikaru." 

Jordon shook his head. "You shouldn't tease." 

"Why?" 

Amber pushed the plushie aside and glared at Terry. 

Terry took a step back, then turned and ran. 

Amber shot up and went after him. "A mallet! I need a mallet! Where's that damned hammerspace when you need it!" 

Jordon watched the two run up and down the street outside. "You know, if you two were super-deformed, you'd look just like the anime." 

"URUSAI, ANIKI!" 

~*()*~ 

Terry glanced at Simon and Lucy. "Eh heh, nothing special. We were sick so we couldn't do anything." 

"Oh." Lucy looked at the clock. 

Simon looked over Terry. _He doesn't think I can't read him as well as he can read me? He's lying._ Simon smirked. _I'll call his brother and find out the truth. _

"Anyway," Terry rubbed the back of his head, "I'm going as Ranma-kun this year. I doubt you guys want to do a theme with me, but you should at least come to my party." 

Simon raised an eyebrow. "You're throwing a Halloween party?"  
"Well, the modeling company is. It's always a hoot, unless Disney is throwing it, then it's rather dull." Terry ran a hand through his hair. "Fortunately, they aren't throwing it this year. So, why don't you two come as my guests? Heck, invite the whole family." 

"We can't." Lucy sighed. "Ruthie's going with mom and the twins to the yearly church Halloween festival. You know, safe fun for young children?" 

Terry looked a little confused, but simply nodded. "So? Robbie and Eric will be here to cover the door. That leaves you two with no plans." 

Lucy fiddled with her hands. "Actually, I was planning on hanging out with Kevin." 

Terry chuckled. "Lucy, it's Halloween. Ten to one he's going to be on patrol." 

"What?" 

Simon leaned forward. "It makes sense, Luce. Glen Oak always puts out extra police on Halloween." 

Lucy pouted. _That means he'll be spending it with Roxanne._ Her eyes narrowed. 

Terry grinned. "With a face like that, you could come as the Wicked Witch of the West." 

"You!" Lucy kicked Terry under the table. 

Terry laughed, rubbing his leg. "Just kidding. But seriously, come to the party. If you want, come as a minister. We usually have a couple demons that you could hang out with." 

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Ugh." 

"Would you rather be stuck here with Robbie and do candy duty? Or at the church?" 

Lucy thought it over. "Can I get back to you? I want to see if Kevin's working or not." 

Terry nodded and looked at Simon. "You won't disappoint me, though, will you?" 

"I guess I could find a vampire costume." 

Terry wrinkled his nose. "Oh no, you're not one of those people that wear traditional costumes, are you?" 

Simon glanced at Lucy, then back at Terry. "Traditional?" 

"Vampire, ghost, zombie, mummy, all of those." 

"Well, yeah." 

Terry sighed and squeezed Simon's hand. "Please try and find something a little more original. It makes the holiday more interesting if you do something other than traditional costumes." 

Simon rubbed his chin. "Well, I suppose I could call Matt and find where he put his hobo costume." 

Terry dropped his head on the table. "I guess it's better than a vampire." 

Simon didn't know whether to laugh or act insulted. 

Terry sat back up and rubbed his forehead. "Since the three of us are together, we should talk about the other serious issue of the house." 

Simon sighed. "I guess." 

It took Lucy a moment, but she caught on and her face took on a serious look as well. "I can't keep hiding the truth from him." 

"I'm just worried that if you tell him, your chance to be with him will vanish." 

"But he's pushing, not just Lucy, but all of us. I even heard Ben trying to get Ruthie to spill." Simon looked at Terry. "We have to tell him, them, soon." 

"It's not a question of how soon, it's a question of how. Homosexuality is a very delicate subject to approach, especially with Catholics." 

Lucy sat up a bit. "Hey, he was willing to go to a Protestant church. Maybe he'll willingly accept our view on the subject." 

Simon looked at Terry, hopeful. 

Terry shook his head. "Homosexuality, abortion, cloning, all the hot topics are dangerous, and Catholics usually have the most rigid, and conservative view on the matter. We have to approach Kevin like we would a dangerous animal. With caution, respect, and not a hint of fear." 

Simon blinked. "Really?" 

"Terry, you can't be serious." Lucy crossed her arms. "Kevin's more understanding than that. You can't stereotype him because of his religion." 

"It's not a stereotype, Lucy. It's the truth. I've met a total of one Catholic that accepts homosexuality, and he's currently serving a sentence for child molestation. Every other Catholic I've met either is disgusted, or hates gays with a passion." 

"Kevin won't. He's marrying into the family, and that means accepting Simon for who he is and not caring that you two are in love. I'll just explain that, well, you two are gay and that's that." 

"You can't drop a bomb like that and expect it to go well." Simon pulled his hand away from Terry and leaned towards Lucy. "Look what happened when I told the family. It worked out for me, but Kevin isn't family, and he may not just accept it. I really don't want to be the reason the man of your dreams leaves you." 

"Well then what do you suggest we do? Wait until the wedding day and tell him, 'oh, Kevin, by the way, my younger brother's gay and dating that male model that's a friend of mine, hope you don't mind.' I don't think so." 

Terry rubbed his forehead. "Look, I'll tell him. Before Halloween, and he can talk with you two, the family, think it over, whatever. I'll emphasize he's marrying into the family, not marrying Simon. With luck, I'll be able to tell him without too big a mess." 

"Can you give me some warning so I can be out of the house?" 

Terry chuckled and ruffled Simon's hair. "Cute." 

"Try and make sure I'm home when you do it." Lucy looked between Simon and Terry. "I want to be there to talk to him afterwards." 

"I think you should be gone, too. Give him some time to think things over before he talks to you." 

"Do it when I'm there." Lucy fixated Terry with a stare. 

Terry glanced at Simon, then nodded. "Fine, I'll try to do it while you're here, but no guarantees." 

Lucy didn't like that answer, but accepted it. "So when will you tell him?" 

"Soon. Just tell him next time he asks that he'll find out soon." Terry yawned. "Oh my, excuse me." 

"You okay? You look tired." Simon leaned over and wrapped an arm around Terry's shoulder. 

Terry smiled. "Fine, just really tired. I stayed up most of last night cooking for you guys. I should really head home and get a nap in before night falls." 

Simon nodded. "Alright, you want me to drive you?" 

"No, I'll be fine." Terry kissed Simon and stood up. "Catch you later, kay Luce?" 

Lucy smiled. "Yeah. And I'll tell Kevin." 

"Thanks." Terry headed for the door. 

Simon followed and opened the door for him. 

Terry kissed him again before putting on his helmet and heading for his bike. 

Simon watched him as he got on his motorcycle and drive off. 

_If he's not careful, his amorous looks will give it away before Terry tells. Still, it's nice to see him in love, and happy._ "You going to stand there all afternoon." 

Simon closed the door and headed for the stairs. "No. I've got to prepare for school tomorrow. And Terry's right. This isn't going to be easy. Kevin loves you, but Matt was afraid if we told Sarah, the wedding would've been canceled. The same could happen to you, and I don't want to cause that. You love Kevin, and I want to see you happy with him." Simon rested his hand on the wall. "So we're worried. And we have a right to be." 

"Simon, I won't blame you if Kevin can't see past a simple bias to accept the true you. You're my brother, and I'd choose you over him any day." 

Simon glanced at the stairs. "I hope it doesn't come to that." He went up the stairs. 

Lucy stood and went to the fridge, searching for a drink. _Me either, Simon. Me either._

~*()*~  
"Hey, mind if I come in?" 

Ben looked back at the door leading into the room. 

Eric smiled weakly and nodded. "Hey. Haven't seen you for a while." 

Terry walked in and grinned, setting the bouquet of flowers on the table where numerous other gifts wishing Eric to get well soon sat. "I thought you might like some color in your room." He tugged the string on a bright blue balloon. "But it looks like you already have plenty." 

Eric laughed weakly. 

Ben stood. "So you're Terry." 

Terry extended his hand. "And you're Ben, Kevin's younger brother." 

Ben stood, took the hand, and shook it. After doing that, he put his hands in his pockets. "So, what're you doing here?" 

Terry covered a yawn with his hand. "Just making a quick stop before I head home to sleep." 

"So early?" 

"I was up half the night making life easier for Eric's family." Terry looked over his shoulder. "Listen, Ben, could you give Eric and I a bit of privacy?" 

"Well," Ben glanced at Eric, who nodded, and sighed, "I guess I cold go grab something from the cafeteria." 

Terry wrinkled his nose. "I'd suggest the vending machine. Less likely a chance you'll die from food poisoning." 

Ben shook his head and left. 

Terry went over and sat by Eric's bed. "I also thought you might like some music." He handed a CD to the bedridden minister. "It's a burned copy of instrumental music from Monterey Bay Aquarium. Very relaxing, very soothing." 

Eric looked over the case for a moment before setting it to the side. "Thanks. I just wish I had something to play it on." 

Terry hit his head. "I knew I was forgetting something." 

Eric watched Terry. "So what else did you want to talk about?" 

Terry raised an eyebrow. "You Camdens are getting way too perceptive of me." Terry glanced out the door, making sure Ben wasn't back yet, then leaned forward and lowered his voice. "I've decided to tell Kevin. About Simon and I." 

"You sure that's wise?" 

"It'll be fine, Eric. I just wanted to tell you in case Ben or Kevin came to ask you some questions or something afterwards. I don't want you worrying about it. Just concentrate on healing." 

"You sure? Kevin may leave Lucy." 

"I said don't worry about it. And he won't. He loves Lucy too much to let something like this get to him. It'll just take some getting used to. That's all." Terry patted Eric's hand. "Now rest. I'll visit later in the week, bring you a book and a CD player." He shook his head. "Some genius I am, huh? I bring you a CD and forget the machine needed to play it." 

Eric closed his eyes. "It's okay." 

Terry nodded and stood. "You go back to resting. I'll find Ben." He headed for the door. 

"Terry?" 

Terry paused, halfway to the door, and turned around. "Yeah?" 

"I'm glad you're with Simon. And with the family." 

Terry ran a hand through his hair. "Thanks. Get well soon." Terry exited the door and began searching for Ben. _I just hope it goes as well as I promised. Otherwise you're going to be coming home to a rather upset Lucy. _

"Hey, you're done?" 

Terry stopped and backed up. "There you are." 

Ben stood from his seat near the waiting room. "Listen, while you're here..." 

Terry tilted his head. "Yeah?" 

"What is it that you can't tell Kevin or myself, or even the community. No one knows about it in the community. It's got us suspicious, and making Kevin nervous about marrying Lucy." 

Terry looked at the ceiling. _No wonder they're bothering the Camden siblings._ "You can reassure your brother that it's nothing bad, it's just something difficult to tell others." He put on his helmet and lifted the visor. "You can also tell him that he'll find out soon. I've talked it over with Lucy and we've decided that you two should know." 

"When? He's going to want a time." 

"That isn't decided yet. Just tell him he'll know soon enough." Terry lowered the visor and headed for the entrance of the hospital. 

Ben watched him, hands still in his pockets. _This is an interesting development._ He headed back towards Reverend Camden's room. _I wonder what this big secret is. I should try prying it out of Ruthie again. _

~*()*~  
"So you really were sick?" 

Jordon hated lying to Simon, but it was what Terry and he had agreed upon when explaining why they weren't at any parties that year. _Besides, I don't really want to be laughed at again. I can't believe Amber talked me into that. Terry would've killed her if he'd found out it was her idea. _"Yeah, sorry to disappoint you." 

"Oh." 

"Is he taking you to the modeling party this year?" 

"He wants to, but he doesn't want me to go as a hobo or a vampire." 

Jordon raised his eyebrows. "That's the only costumes you have? Geeze." 

"Do they even celebrate it over there?" 

"No, but there's enough anime parties that the costumes don't go to waste. Too bad you're so lanky, otherwise I'd ship you one of my simpler costumes." 

"That's okay. I'll probably go as a vampire anyway. It's not like Halloween is a big deal to me." 

"But it's the one time of year you can dress up as whatever you want and act however you want and get away with it." Jordon shook his head. _Honestly, it's like he's been deprived of some of the most exciting times of the year. What can he go as, let's see..._

"Jordon? You still there?" 

"Yeah, just thinking." Jordon snapped his fingers. "Bingo. Okay, Simon, I got the perfect costume for you. It may cost a bit more than a vampire outfit, but you'll fit in better at the party." 

"I don't know..." 

_You can't refuse this._ "It'll make Terry happier. He's going all out for Halloween, and he'd love it if you joined him." 

Simon was silent, thinking it over. 

Jordon could practically hear the wheels in his head turning over the phone, weighing the cost of buying a new costume to making Terry happy. 

"Alright. What's your idea?" 

Jordon grinned. _You owe me, ototou._

~*()*~ 

"So you are working Halloween?" 

Kevin set down the weight he was lifting and looked over his shoulder. "Yes. It's a great overtime opportunity, and Halloween is one of the worst nights, crime-wise. Why?" 

Lucy looked over Kevin's bear back. _I don't care what Terry says. He's definitely better looking than Simon. Brad Pitt he is. _"Okay. Terry invited me to a Halloween party being thrown where he works and I didn't want to leave you alone that night." _Of course now I know you're hanging out with Roxanne, so I don't feel as bad. You pair up with a hot woman, I can hang out with a hot man._ "You don't mind, do you?" 

"Yes, actually, I do. I don't want you hanging out with him." 

Lucy blinked. "Excuse me? Why?" 

"Because he's a male model, and I don't trust him." 

Lucy crossed his arms. "Let me get this straight. You work with a gorgeous woman I don't trust and you won't change partners, but I can't go out every now and then with a gorgeous guy and hang out?" 

"I know Roxanne, and above that, I trust her and know her history. I know nothing about this Terry-" 

"Dax. To you, he's Dax." 

"Whatever. I don't trust him. Especially with you." Kevin stood and grabbed his shirt. "I don't like that I don't know him, and this secret between you worries me. I'm worried for your safety." 

Lucy held up her hand. "First off, you're going to find out the secret soon. Secondly, you don't have to worry about him stealing me away from you. I told you, he wouldn't date me if I were the last woman on Earth. And thirdly, I trust him, my family trusts him, and that should be enough for you to trust him." 

"Until I know about him, I can't trust him." He pulled on his shirt. "And I don't want you going to this party of his." 

"Are you going to not go out that night and stay away from Roxanne?" 

"No, of course not." 

"Then I'm not going to drop this party or just leave one of my best friends. Terry has helped this family through difficult times, has been there for us, been there for Simon-" Lucy shut her mouth abruptly. _Nearly let it out! Watch yourself! Calm down, don't let your emotions spit it out too soon._

Kevin stared at her. _She was about to let the secret out. _He narrowed his eyes. _So it has to do with Simon too, but what? It couldn't be the depression lie. _"What about Simon?" 

"Nothing. Look, he's just a friend, okay? And I'm not going to just stop speaking to him because he makes you feel uncomfortable. If you knew who he was, maybe you wouldn't reject him so easily." Lucy started going down the stairs. 

"You were about to tell me, weren't you." 

Lucy paused. _He noticed. Damn._ She looked at him. "You'll find out soon. Terry feels, we all do, that it's time you knew. But he has to tell you. It's mostly his secret." 

"Why can't you tell me?" 

"Because I don't want to." _It's also Simon or Terry's place to tell you, not mine._ Lucy continued down the stairs and hurried towards the house. 

Kevin rubbed his chin, once again plotting to find out the big secret. _I need to talk to Simon again. From Lucy's reaction to his name, he must figure heavily in this secret.  
_~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Tadaima: I'm home 

Aniki: older brother 

Kouhaku: amber 

Fuku: school skirt (think Sailor Moon's outfit) 

Urusai: shut up 

Ototou: younger brother 

Author's Prattle: First off, Terry's view on Catholics is not necessarily my view. He formed this stereotype from observations he's made in life, and it also is an indirect way of saying "he's human, he does the same thing we all do." I'm not trying to make anyone mad or upset, and I apologize if I offended anyone. That wasn't my intent, it just seemed like the type of discussion that would occur on the show (remember all those speeches while Matt was getting married?). 

Secondly, these chapters will probably come out one a week, with the exception of Lab Practical and Exam weeks. As I said last chapter, I write a lot during Macroeconomics, and the pre-homework for my labs are increasing, so that gives me less time to write outside of school. 

Third, disclaimers. Of course the 7th Heaven characters don't belong to me. What also don't belong to me are what Terry and company dressed up as for Halloween. The first one was Inu Yasha, by Rumiko Takahashi. The other two were Card Captor Sakura and Magic Knight Rayearth, both by CLAMP (I just finished their Wish manga. Wai!). Ranma-kun is a reference to the male form of Ranma, and is also owned by Rumiko Takahashi. All are great anime and manga, and yes, I actually do know people who do theme costumes like that. Also, the CD Terry gave Eric, Mysteries of the Deep, is an actual CD from Monterey Bay Aquarium, and is very soothing. I own a copy, and I would suggest it for anyone who visits "the best aquarium in the nation." 

Fourth, the title refers to three things that happen in the chapter (if you didn't get it, which my beta didn't). It refers first to Eric's heart surgery (of course) and doubles as a tribute to that episode. The second refers to Terry trying to get the Camdens out of the "Eric's sick let's all mope" mood. The third is the matter at hand of Kevin not knowing, and having to tell him the truth at some time. Just in case nobody got it. 

Lastly, once I've caught up to the newest show in the season, I'll probably have to pause writing (though I have plans that have absolutely nothing to do with the show) to make sure I don't contradict the show timeline enormously. If this is the last season, however, then I'll just keep writing until the end of the fic. 

That's it. As always, reviews are appreciated, and thanks for reading. 


	19. Eggshells and Sledgehammers

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right in the World**

****_By Cypher_

Chapter Nineteen: Eggshells and Sledgehammers 

Simon's head turned back and forth warily, taking in everyone that entered the restaurant, before facing his food again. 

"Simon's what's going on? You and just about everyone else in your family is walking on eggshells today." Robbie glanced around the Pool Hall as well, trying to see what Simon was looking for. 

Simon leaned closer to Robbie. "Well, there's something major going to happen today, and we're all a bit nervous about it." 

Robbie raised an eyebrow. "What? Your father's not coming home. It's only been five days since the surgery." 

Simon nodded. "It doesn't have to do with dad. It's...well, it's Kevin." 

"Is he bothering you again?" 

"No. Terry and Lucy and I decided to tell him and, well, Terry's telling him today." 

"He's what?" 

Simon nodded. "Telling him today. That's why I wanted to come here. I figure even if he does find me, he won't make a scene." 

"But Lucy should be there to help tell him." Robbie rubbed his chin. "In fact, didn't Terry promise Lucy he wouldn't tell until she was there?" 

Simon shifted nervously. "He said he'd try, but I think he's gonna tell Kevin alone." 

Robbie shook his head. "This is going to be an interesting day in the Camden household." 

"Maybe. I just hope I don't destroy Lucy's chance with Kevin. She's so happy with him." 

"She's not happy about Roxanne." 

Simon rolled his eyes and drank some of his soda. "I think a lot of girls aren't happy about Roxanne. Haven't you called her back yet?" 

It was Robbie's turn to shift awkwardly. "Not yet, no. I'm just-" 

"Scared?" 

Robbie rested his arm on the table. "Not scared, really, just...okay, yeah. I'm scared." 

Simon smiled a bit. "You shouldn't be. You two certainly had quite a bit of chemistry between you two." 

"Yeah, yeah. Why don't we shoot some pool." 

Simon looked at the nearest pool table. "It's not really my game." 

"Would you rather we go home?" 

Simon stood up. "I'll get the cues, you rack the balls." 

Robbie smirked and headed for the nearest pool table. 

~*()*~ 

Lucy just couldn't concentrate today. Even now, in comparative religion, one of her favorite classes, she just couldn't focus on the lecture. It wasn't that the topic was boring, nor was she uninterested. 

It was because she was nervous. 

Today, Terry was going to tell Kevin, and inevitably Ben, that he and Simon were gay. She wanted to be there, but a sick feeling in her gut told her that Kevin would probably know by the time she came home. 

_I should've just stayed home today. That way I would've been sure to be there when Terry told Kevin._

She wasn't worried about what Kevin might do to Terry. He might've been a policeman, but she'd seen Terry practice martial arts and knew he could defend himself if Kevin did react violently. She didn't believe he would, but Terry wasn't as sure. 

_He's not violent. And he won't dump me just because my brother's gay...would he?_

Lucy wanted to reassure herself that he wouldn't, that Kevin was understanding and would accept Simon and Terry without fail. The problem was, she knew that wasn't going to happen. At best, he'd react as bad as her family had. At worst, though, she'd lose the man of her life. 

_God will make sure it'll work out though, right? _She had been saying silent prayers to God, asking Him to help Kevin through the revelation of Simon's orientation. Despite that, and her arguments with Terry of how he'd take the news, she truly didn't know how Kevin would respond. 

All she knew was, after she went home, the day would become a lot more difficult. 

~*()*~ 

"Utsumuiteta kimochi made, egao ni, kawaru no. Dreamin' koi no chansu wa, tell me jisho ni wa nai no, hayaku note tojite-" 

"Are you sure it's wise to sing to them in Japanese?" 

Terry smiled at Annie and finished helping the twins put on their jackets. "It's best to start out teaching them other languages when they're young. Their minds are little sponges, after all." 

"Yes, well, I'm not sure I want their second language to be Japanese." Annie made sure she had everything in her purse. 

Terry rubbed the boys' heads and stood up. "Alright, I'll stop singing to them. It was a kid's song, too." 

"Yeah." Annie looked around. "Are you sure it's a good idea to do this when you're alone?" 

"He won't do anything to harm your house, and I think I should be here in case Simon or Lucy come under verbal attack after the truth is out." 

"I doubt he'll take it that badly." 

Terry crossed his arms. "And who was it that threw Simon out of the house when he told the family?" 

Annie frowned. "I apologized for that, and I thought you two had forgiven me." 

"I'm just pointing it out, Annie. Kevin doesn't have that authority, but he may take the news just as badly." 

Annie sighed. "Alright. Ruthie'll be home around six." 

"I'll be here." Terry opened the back door. "Give my regards to Eric." 

"I will. Come on boys, let's go visit dad." Annie took the twins' hands and led them outside towards the car. 

Terry shut the door and glanced around the kitchen. _Dreamin' kami ga yuretatara, for you rinsu no kaori, nanika yokan ga suru no._ He chuckled and sat at the kitchen table. _Haven't thought about that song since I was real young. How old was I? Six? Seven? I can't believe I remember the words._

He looked up as Kevin entered the kitchen. _No more singing. I've got serious work to do._

Kevin scanned the room for a moment, before focusing his attention on Terry. "Where's mom?" 

Terry tried not to laugh. _Mom? He's calling her mom? Not even Robbie does that. It must really rile him._

"Hey, I asked you a question." 

Terry blinked and stood. "Sorry, just surprised at the 'mom' honorific. Annie went out with the twins to visit Eric." 

Kevin put his hands on his hips. "And what are you doing here?" 

"I'm here to see you." 

"Me." Kevin raised an eyebrow. "Why me?" 

"You do want to know the big secret, do you not?" 

Kevin nodded. "So you're finally going to tell me?" 

Terry shrugged and sat on top of the counter by the phone. "Depends. How good are you at keeping a secret?" 

"Look, I don't have time for games. If I want to find out-" 

"You wouldn't be able to, otherwise you would've already." Terry smirked. "You're simply a police officer. You can't find out everything." 

Kevin crossed his arms. "Alright, then what is it?" 

"You have to promise to keep it a secret." The smirk faded from Terry's face. "You can tell your brother, but that's it." 

"We'll see." 

"No, not 'we'll see'. You either keep the secret, or you don't get to learn it until after you're married to Lucy." 

"What if I never marry Lucy?" 

"Then you're a fool and I pity you for giving up a wonderful woman." 

Kevin stared at Terry, actually trying to stare the male model down. 

Terry met the stare with his own intense gaze, not backing down, and not caving in. 

_This must be big. _"Is it legal? If it's not legal, I can't keep that promise." 

Terry nodded his head. "It's perfectly legal." 

"Then fine, I promise." 

"Swear to God, Kinkirk." 

Kevin narrowed his eyes. "Fine. I swear to God I'll keep the promise. Do you have a Bible for me to put my hand on too?" 

Terry shook his head, waving his legs slightly. "No." He went silent, watching Kevin. 

"Well? What is the secret?" 

"You're right, Simon is a big key in the secret. You'll note that Simon and I are good friends." 

"Obviously. You spend enough time over here to attest to that. So?" 

Terry took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing._ "We're more than just friends." 

Kevin blinked, then furrowed his brow. "I don't follow." 

Terry thunked his head against the cupboard. _How dense IS this guy? _"Kevin, Simon and I aren't just friends. We're dating." 

Kevin frowned. "Dating? Meaning...?" 

"Oh for heaven's sakes. We're gay, Kevin. Homosexual. In love. How many ways can I put this?" 

Kevin stared at Terry, his face unchanging. 

_Oiiii. What a baka. Must've had one too many punches to the head in training academy. I hope his brother isn't as hard headed._

__~*()*~ 

"Thanks for spending the day with me. I know it's not exactly what you wanted to do." 

Ben chuckled. "What makes you think I wouldn't like spending time with my favorite future sister-in-law?" He glanced at the bag he was holding. "So what's next?" 

Ruthie crossed her arms and looked around. "How about an afternoon snack?" 

Ben nodded. "I'm feeling a bit hungry too." He headed for an ice cream store. "So tell me a little more about this Dax fellow." 

"Glad to see you follow his name rule." Ruthie glanced at her watch. "There's not much to tell, really. You know he's a male model." 

"Is he after Lucy?" 

"Nope. They're just friends." 

"Is he an ex-boyfriend?" 

Ruthie shook her head. "Just friends. That's all." She tapped her finger against her chin. "He is pretty important to the family, though. Like you and Kevin, or Robbie. You're family though you're not." 

"Huh." Ben pulled out his wallet and looked over the flavors available. _Could he be an ex-boyfriend of Mary's then? Like Robbie?_

~*()*~  
"You can't be gay! The Camdens would never allow someone like that into their house!" 

_And it's finally registered. Glad I didn't have to kiss him to convince him. Simon'd get jealous, not to mention Lucy. _"The fact is, they have. And it's not just me. Simon's gay. He's my boyfriend." 

Kevin snorted. "He asked for my sister's number. I doubt he's gay." 

"He keeps up a facade. We both have. We weren't sure how you would react." Terry crossed his arms. "I was especially worried. Catholics have a history of hating homosexuals with little regard to the facts." 

"That's because they're sick. And the way you've...changed this family-" 

"Changed?" Terry let out a short laugh. "How has the family changed since you've been here, hmm? And when Simon came out, I didn't change them. They changed themselves. They had a choice of accepting Simon or not. They chose to accept him. I didn't force anything. I was prepared to help Simon in case the family rejected him." 

"It doesn't matter. It's just wrong. There is no other way to put it." Kevin looked around. "Where's Simon. I'm going to straighten him out." 

"That was a bad pun, and he doesn't need you to try and do anything to him. He's happy with me, happier than he's ever been with anyone else. On top of that he's comfortable with who he is." 

Kevin glanced up the stairs. "He's sick." 

Terry narrowed his eyes. _Calm down. Lucy won't like it if you maim him._ "He's not sick. I'm not sick. It's how we are and that's that." A thought went through Terry's mind, and he smirked. "And I think you're being rather hypocritical for saying things like that." 

Kevin looked at Terry, confused. "Me? Hypocritical? How?" 

"Considering the Catholic church once performed homosexual marriages, I'd think you'd be more understanding." 

Kevin opened his mouth, then shut it. 

_Got you there._

"What are you talking about?" 

"Didn't you know? A thousand years ago Catholics performed gay marriages. Really, Kevin, don't you even know the history of your religion?" 

Kevin's frown grew and he watched Terry. 

_That usually gets them to shut up about the religious arguments. _"Simon and I aren't any different than how we were before. Robbie put it best: we're still us, you just know something that you didn't before." Terry hopped off the counter and stood by the dining room door. "If you still don't like it, tough. You're a police officer, you can roll with the punches, ne? I'll be around if you want to talk, but I suggest you think things over. You are marrying Lucy, and she's close to Simon. Try and come to terms with the truth." He walked out into the dining room. 

Kevin stared after him, unsure of what he should do. _Lucy. I need to talk to Lucy._

~*()*~ 

"So, what's this big secret that you guys are keeping about him?" 

Ruthie licked some of her ice cream and raised an eyebrow at Ben. _Terry was going to tell them today. I guess it'd be okay if he found out from me._ _We're on our way home. _"Well, since you're going to find out later today anyway, the truth of the matter is he and Simon are dating. They're gay." 

Ben pulled the car off to the side of the road and screeched to a halt. "What?!" 

Ruthie jerked forward and looked at Ben. "What? You asked." 

"No, what do you mean they're gay? I thought you guys were Christian!" 

Ruthie went back to eating her ice cream. "We are." 

"Christians don't approve of homosexuality." 

"Some do. It's all on how you interpret it. Simon, Lucy, and Terry have explained it. Dad has, too, at church." Ruthie bit into her cone. "Just because it's strange to us doesn't mean it's a sin. I mean, sleeping with someone before they're married is a sin, and I'd never get why someone would want to do that. That doesn't mean I'd judge them or say they're evil or something." 

Ben shifted nervously and looked out the window. "So what you're saying is, tolerate it because it's not our place to judge?" 

"Basically." Ruthie watched Ben. _Interesting. _"Is there something you want to tell me?" 

"No, no." Ben pulled out of where he'd parked and headed for the Camden household once more. _Kevin. I need to talk to Kevin._

~*()*~ 

Terry hummed as he brushed Happy. He had gone to Simon's room to wait for someone to come home. Kevin, from what he could hear, had left, though for the garage, a walk, or work, he wasn't sure. He wasn't too worried yet. It hadn't gone as bad as he'd expected, though it didn't go as smoothly as Lucy had dreamed of either. Happy had wandered into Simon's room with a brush in her mouth shortly after Kevin left. 

Terry figured he might as well save Simon the trouble of brushing his pet later. Besides, Happy was part of the Camden family as well, and he had spent very little time with her. "So what do you think? Kevin will adjust, or will he leave Lucy?" 

Happy looked up at Terry. 

Terry chuckled. "Okay, I'll stop obsessing over it. It's just an important issue. I thought you might have an opinion." 

Happy let out a quick bark. 

Terry nodded. "Alright, alright." He went back to brushing out Happy's fur. "You know, you remind me of another dog I spent some time with. Looked a lot like you, only it was a he." 

Happy rolled on her side slightly, giving Terry access to more difficult areas to reach. 

Terry absently continued brushing, now staring out the window. "I wonder how he's doing. I doubt I'll ever see him again..." 

_"You're pretty lonely now, aren't you." Terry knelt by the white dog and stroked his fur. The dog barely lifted his head in acknowledgment of the new arrival. "I know you miss him. I do too." Terry sat and wrapped his arms around the animal's neck. "You shouldn't have run away, though." Terry sniffed and wiped his eyes. "His family will miss you. And I know that he'd want Murial to have you." Terry blinked and sniffed again, rubbing his eyes against his sleeve. "Damn it, I said I wouldn't cry anymore."_

_The dog sat up and licked Terry's face, whining slightly._

_Terry smiled weakly. "I guess one more time, for the both of us." He ran his hand through the dog's fur. "He was a great boyfriend, and I bet he was an even better owner. If only the family had...had..." He shut his eyes and hugged the dog tightly. "Don't hate them, though. John wouldn't want us to hate them." Terry felt a hand rest on his shoulder, but he ignored it, crying softly and holding the only other thing his late boyfriend treasured._

_"Terry, the Bernams called." Jordon knelt down and rubbed Terry's arms. "I told them we have Duke. They want him back."_

_Terry nodded and pulled away from the canine. "Don't be mad at them, and take care of Muriel. That's your job now."_

_Duke let out a bark, then looked at Jordon._

_"You want to come?"_

_Terry shook his head. _

_"Alright." Jordon stood. _

_Terry watched as Duke followed his older brother out. _"Sayonara." 

"What?" 

Terry jumped, causing Happy to be dumped on the floor. 

Simon got on his knees and checked Happy out. "Careful! You okay, girl?" 

Happy glanced at Terry, then headed out the door. 

Simon watched his pet leave, then back over at Terry. "You okay?" 

Terry let out a weak laugh. "Yeah, yeah. You just startled me, that's all." He wiped his eyes, making sure the memory hadn't brought forth any tears. "I was thinking." 

"You said sayonara." Simon sat on the bed by Terry and took his hand. 

"Did I?" Terry ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry." 

Simon's brow furrowed. "What were you thinking about?" _Not about leaving me. It couldn't have gone that badly._

Terry shook his head. "Just something that happened a while ago. It's a memory I'll tell you," Terry looked at Simon's hand, "tell you eventually. It's not something that's easy to deal with." 

Simon nodded slowly. "Okay." He glanced at the door, then pulled Terry into a hug. 

Terry smiled and hugged Simon back, resting his head against the blond's chest. "What's this for?" 

"You seem upset. I don't want you to be upset." 

Terry reached up and slid the back of his hand down Simon's cheek. "Thanks." 

They sat there in silence a few moments, before Simon cleared his throat. "Um, Terry." 

"Hmm?" Terry was rather comfortable against his love and didn't want to move. 

"How'd...it go?" 

Terry sighed and sat up. "Well..."  
~*()*~ 

"You want to break off the engagement?" 

Kevin glanced at the apartment door, then shushed his brother. "I said I was thinking about it, okay? Lucy I can handle, but a gay brother, much less one with a boyfriend..." 

Ben shook his head. "You shouldn't break up with her because of her brother." 

"You would. In a second." 

"Not if she was the woman of my dreams." 

Kevin crossed his arms. "Why're you defending this, anyway? You dislike them as much as I do." 

"True." Ben leaned back in the chair. "But you're marrying Lucy, not Simon, and you're practically converting to a Protestant. Why don't you just convert to whatever Lucy is, and maybe you'll come to accept it like the Camdens have." 

"Have you accepted it?" 

"No way! It's disgusting." 

"Unnatural, a huge sin." Kevin tapped the arm rest. "How could the Camdens let this happen. They must know homosexuality is wrong." 

"They have a problem we don't: their son is gay. They had to deal with it, or lose one of their blood." Ben shrugged. "And how can you justify not marrying Lucy just because her brother's gay? It's not like you have to speak with him or anything." 

Kevin nodded. "Yes, I do. Lucy's going to want me to be friends with Simon, if not this Terry-" 

"Dax." 

Kevin pointed at Ben. "Don't start with that. And I don't want to be friends with a gay person. Even if he is a brother-in-law." 

Ben thought a moment. "Have you talked to Lucy yet?" 

"No. She's not home." Kevin rubbed his hands together and leaned forward. "Wouldn't you break up with her?" 

"I don't know. If it was the love of my life, probably not. It's just something I'd have to stomach and get used to. If it meant I had to fake being nice, then so be it. Marriage is a compromise." 

Kevin blinked. "You've been talking to Ruthie, haven't you." 

Ben rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, well, we hung out and she told me." 

Kevin rolled his eyes and let a sigh out through his nose. _Can I compromise my morals, even slightly, for her?_

~*()*~ 

"So overall you think it's okay?" 

Terry wobbled his hand. "Eh, I'm not sure. I haven't seen him since I told, and I'm starting to get a little worried." 

"He's in his apartment, and Ben's talking with him." 

Terry nodded at Ruthie. "Thanks." 

"No problem." 

Simon looked at Ruthie, then sat back. "But Ben doesn't know-" 

"I think he does." Terry eyed Ruthie over. "You told him, didn't you." 

Ruthie shrugged. "Yeah." 

"You told him?! How could you?" 

Terry rested a hand on Simon's shoulder. "If it hadn't been from her, it'd have been from me. It's best he heard it from a friend, anyway. Ben's one of those people that can understand things if friends help explain it in a different light." 

"And Kevin?" 

Terry smirked. "A control freak with a massive ego. But don't tell Lucy I said that." 

Simon laughed. 

Ruthie rolled her eyes and headed for her room. 

Simon calmed down and shook his head. "Thanks, I needed a laugh." 

"No prob. Where's Robbie?" 

"He had to go study at the library." Simon rubbed his arm. "So, um, can we go out or something?" 

Terry kissed Simon's forehead. "Tomorrow night? Sure." 

"I meant-" 

"I know you meant tonight, but no. I'll stay for a while, but I'm not going to let us run from something we have to face sometime. Besides," Terry pulled a bag up from the side of the bed and plunked it down between them. "I have homework, and so do you." 

Simon sighed. _I love Terry, but every now and then there's a downside to dating a smart person._ He grabbed his own book bag and opened it up. 

~*()*~ 

"Mom, have you seen Kevin? I kinda wanted to talk to him before dinner." 

Annie looked up from chopping vegetables and shrugged. "Try the garage. He hasn't been here all afternoon according to Terry." 

"What's according to me?" Terry came out of the stairwell and rested his hands on the counter. "I thought I could help with dinner." 

"Well, that's very generous, but you're a little late I'm afraid." 

Terry shrugged and picked up a carrot. "Simon's night for clean up, right? I'll help him." He munched on the vegetable and looked at Lucy. "Kevin, right?" 

Lucy nodded. 

"Ruthie says he's in the apartment with Ben." 

Lucy moved towards the door, but paused and backtracked. "How'd it go?" 

Terry swallowed and shrugged. "I think it went well, but I really can't tell you." He hesitated. "I am glad I told him when you were away. Something tells me you wouldn't have had a fiance-to-be if you had been here." 

Lucy sighed and went out the door. 

"That wasn't a very nice thing to say, Terry." 

Terry looked at the door. "It's honest, though. Kevin could barely comprehend the fact that I was gay, much less Simon. And he was pretty upset about the fact he didn't know." 

"Doesn't mean he would've broken off the engagement with Lucy, though." 

Terry tilted his head and took another bite out of the orange food. "Maybe. Time to think, though, always helps. Initial reactions can open wounds that can't be healed easily. I spared her from that." He met Annie's eyes. "Wouldn't you agree that that's the best thing I could do for her in this situation?" 

Annie shook her head and went back to making her salad. "Point taken." 

"Great." Terry finished the carrot and tossed the remains in the garbage. "Is the table set? I can handle that." 

"No, and that'd be a big help." 

Terry grabbed some plates and headed for the dining room. 

~*()*~ 

Lucy knocked on the door to Kevin's apartment. "Hey, is it okay if I come in?" 

Ben stood and stretched. "Well, I need to see if dinner's ready yet." He patted Kevin's shoulder and headed downstairs, giving Lucy a quick wink as he went. 

Lucy tilted her head, then shook it and took the seat Ben had vacated. She put her hands together and looked around, avoiding Kevin's face for a moment or two. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" 

Lucy finally looked towards Kevin. _It's a place to start._ "It's not exactly my secret to tell. Even if I did, how would that affect us? You're interested in me, not my brother." 

"That doesn't matter. I had a right to know." 

"Would it have affected us?" 

Kevin sat there a few minutes, thinking. 

Lucy took the silence as an affirmative. "You can't be serious! Just because my brother's gay shouldn't mean you'd dump me!" 

"Luce, I was raised believing it was a mortal sin. What do you expect?" 

"I expect you to be a little more understanding. I came to accept Simon, my family did-" 

"How long did it take, though? Did you just think it was no big deal when you found out?" 

Lucy pursed her lips. "Okay, so it took me a while. But you're from New York. You should be more used to the idea of gays than someone from Glen Oak." 

"Well I'm not." 

Lucy pushed her hair back. "Well, now you know. If you spend some time with them, I'm sure you'll get used to it. It's not that big a deal." 

"It is to me. The way I was raised-" 

"Was very similar to the way I was raised. I made Simon cry when I first found out. But I realized that he was still my brother, and that he didn't need scorn, but support." 

Kevin shook his head. "I'm not sure if I can give him that support." 

"Try. For me?" Lucy went over and rubbed Kevin's arm. "I love you, but I don't want to choose between you and my brother. You shouldn't have to, either." 

"I don't know if I can live with the fact that my brother-in-law is gay." 

"Talk to mom or dad, or even Matt. They all had to get used to it, and it was difficult for them, especially mom." 

Kevin sighed. "I still don't like this." 

"Give them a chance. We did, and we don't regret a moment of it." 

Kevin nodded. "Fine, I'll try." 

"Thank you." Lucy kissed Kevin's cheek. "You coming in for dinner?" 

"Yeah, I'll be down in a few minutes." 

Lucy rubbed Kevin's arm once more, then left. 

Kevin shook his head. _I'll try, but I really don't know if I can change so much to accept this._

~*()*~ 

Terry wrapped an arm around Simon's waist and pulled him close for a quick kiss before letting him go. "Glad you decided to join us." 

Simon rubbed his leg and shrugged. "I figure it'll be pretty safe for me to be around during dinner." 

"Safe from what?" Annie pulled out the pot roast from the oven and set it on the counter. 

"Kevin and Ben." 

Terry patted Simon's back. "I doubt they'll attack you. I figure they may want to talk to you, though." 

"Maybe." 

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Annie picked up the meat and headed for the dining room table. 

Simon glanced at the back door. "Everyone says that, but he is a bit intimidating. Doesn't he scare you? Even a bit?" 

Terry nodded. "I'm scared that he might hurt you in some way. Physically though? Not really." 

Simon sighed. "I wish I had your confidence at times." 

"You do, just in another way." Terry hugged Simon again, rubbing his hands up and down the blond's back. "It'll be fine, Simon. The family understood." 

"They had so much more to lose, though. Kevin...Kevin doesn't have any ties here." 

"Yes he does. Lucy. He changed his life for her. He loves her, and that's a big sacrifice to make if he doesn't accept you." 

Simon rested against Terry. "Maybe, but-" 

Terry leaned his head down and silenced Simon with a kiss. He held Simon there a moment, before pulling his head away. "If ifs and buts were candy and nuts. Don't worry about ifs and buts. Trust in God. He brought us together, helped your family understand. He won't abandon you." 

"Are you sure?" 

"It's God. I can't be absolutely sure." Terry moved his arms up and rested them on Simon's shoulders. "But I'm pretty sure he won't abandon you. Now just relax." Terry kissed Simon again. 

Simon closed his eyes and kissed back this time, his hands softly stroking part of Terry's hair. 

Unfortunately, that's when Ben decided to enter the kitchen. _Oh gross!_ He turned around and was about to go back out, when Annie came back in the room. 

"Hey, Ben. Ready for dinner?" 

"I'm not so hungry any more." 

Annie blinked, then noticed the two teenagers by the stairwell. "Oh. Sorry." She ahemed, trying to catch Simon or Terry's attention. 

Neither one broke the kiss, or even stopped what they were doing. 

Ben walked past Annie towards the dinning room. "Ugh. No offense, but how can you look at that?" 

"Because he's my son. Still." Annie thought about what to do, when a comment Robbie had made earlier that year came to mind. Turning on the sink, she grabbed the sprayer and aimed it at the boys making out. "Terry, Jordon did tell us how to break you two apart." 

Terry broke the kiss and sighed, resting his forehead against Simon's. "Damn aniki." 

"Remind me to hurt him next time he visits." 

Terry chuckled. "Ditto." He pulled away and look at Annie. "Hai, hai. Happy, now?" 

Simon straightened out his clothes. "Mom..." 

Annie replaced the sprayer. "Well, if you two could behave yourselves a little more." 

Terry waved at her. "I heard Ben." 

Annie nodded and glanced at the swinging dinning room door. 

Simon swallowed and followed her gaze. _Oops. _

Lucy walked in and smiled at Terry. "He wasn't too upset." 

"So you're still pre-engaged?" 

Lucy nodded. "Yep." 

"Good. You and I should go get the twins." Terry patted Simon's arm. "I'll be right back." He went upstairs with Lucy. 

Simon nodded and sat in a kitchen chair, thinking. 

Annie decided to let her son rest a few moments, grabbed the last part of the meal, and headed into the dining room. 

Kevin entered the kitchen at this point, when Simon was alone. He noticed the blond teen, and decided to take advantage of the situation. Before Simon noticed him, Kevin had walked over and sat next to the Camden child. 

Simon was startled, and started to get up. 

Kevin grabbed his arm. "We've got to talk." 

Simon glanced at the stairs. _Terry, hurry up._

"You're gay?" 

Simon sat back down and nodded slowly. "Yeah. And Terry's my boyfriend." 

Kevin watched Simon, considering what to say next. "Why?" 

Simon raised an eyebrow. "What?" 

"Homosexuality is a sickness. It's evil. Why did you become gay?" 

Simon felt a shiver run up his spine. He hated those phrases. They reminded him of his nightmare, of when his family kicked him out. "I didn't choose it. It's not a choice." 

Kevin nodded. "Yes, it is." 

"No, it's not. I was born gay, Kevin. It just took me a while to realize it because homosexuality is suppressed around here." 

"That's because it's wrong." 

"It's not wrong!" Simon stood up. "I'm gay! Live with it! It wasn't an easy revelation for me to have and I'm not going to let you make me feel bad about it!" 

Kevin looked up at Simon. "Aren't you afraid of divine punishment?" 

"Yes, but I'm more afraid of not being true to myself, and of dying old and alone!" Simon took a deep breath. "I'm gay, and there's nothing that's going to change that fact. Now get used to the idea. If my family could, you can." Simon stormed out into the dinning room. 

Kevin sat there a few minutes, pondering what Simon had said. 

"He's right, you know. You have to get used to the idea that we're gay." 

Kevin turned around in his seat to find Terry standing behind him, one of the twins in his arms. "Just because I'm marrying Lucy?" 

"Because you're marrying Lucy, because you live in this world, because it's a fact of life. Simon and I are going to come out to the community soon. You see, it's been long enough that Simon finally realizes it doesn't matter who knows, as long as he's happy." 

"So why keep it a big secret?" 

Terry looked out the window a moment. "Because communities such as this one take some time to adjust to the idea of homosexuality, among other topics. Eric has been prepping his congregation for our coming out for a year, now. The main reason I haven't pushed for it, though, is Simon. He has to be comfortable with our coming out." 

"There'll be a lot of people like me. We don't like gays." 

Terry shrugged. "Then that's their problem, and they're missing out on great friendships." He shifted David's weight. "You, however, are a bigger deal. Lucy is friends with me, and she's the closest sibling to Simon other than Matt, more than Matt in many ways. Simon and I are always going to be a part of your life, whether you like us or not." 

Kevin frowned. "What if I never like you?" 

Terry looked at the ceiling. "Give it time, Kevin, you will. At the very least, though, try and accept Simon. That's the crucial one in Lucy's mind. He hasn't changed. He's still the same guy you knew, you just now know he likes guys instead of girls. No big deal. He has the same interests, same personality, same everything. There's no reason you should treat him any differently." 

"And you?" 

Terry opened his mouth, then shut it, furrowing his brow. 

Kevin waited. _Got you there._

"Then you don't like me. To be honest, we don't really know each other yet anyway. Maybe we should make an effort to do so." 

"I don't think so." 

"We'll see. Lucy! Come on!" 

Lucy came down the stairs a few moments later carrying Sam. "Sorry." 

"S'alright. Come on, everyone's waiting for us." Terry gave Kevin a quick look. 

Kevin sighed and headed for the dining room, followed by the other four occupants of the kitchen. 

~*()*~ 

"I'm proud of you." 

Simon blinked and looked up from his guitar. After dinner he had retreated to his room, not wanting to be around Kevin, only not out of fear this time. What Kevin had said deeply offended him, and he didn't want to spend any more time than he needed to with the police officer. "For what?" 

"Well, in general, I'm proud of you." Terry sat next to Simon and took the guitar from Simon's hands. "But what I meant is how you stood up to Kevin." 

"Oh, that." Simon shrugged. "You would've done the same thing." 

"True, but I've been doing it for a long time. The fact that you could defend your position with someone other than a family member is what impressed me. It's not easy to go up against the prejudices of strangers." 

Simon nodded. "No kidding. I was wondering if-hey, how'd you know?" 

Terry grinned. "I was on the stairs." 

"You were eavesdropping?" 

Terry shrugged. "Eavesdropping is such a strong word. It's the right word, but it's such a strong one." 

"Why you." Simon grabbed a pillow from behind him and whapped Terry. 

Terry fell back and laughed, holding his hands in front of his face. "Don't blame me. I've been hanging around Ruthie for a year. It was bound to happen." 

"Har har." Simon set the pillow aside and lay next to the male model. 

Terry smiled and pushed Simon's hair back. "I really do love you, you know." 

"I know." 

"Want to finish what we started in the kitchen?" 

"Do you even have to ask?" 

Terry leaned forward, pressing his lips onto Simon's gently. 

Simon wrapped an arm around Terry's waist and pulled him closer, returning the affection. 

A few minutes later Lucy knocked on the door and stepped in the room. "Simon, mom wants-guys!" 

Simon pulled back and gave Lucy a lazy smile. "Yes?" 

"You know if mom caught you you'd be in big trouble! What're you doing?" 

Terry propped his head up on his hand. "Making out. What it'd look like?" 

Lucy held up her hands. "Never mind." 

Terry sighed and pushed away from Simon, climbing off the bed. "I need to get going any ways. I have a stop to make tonight." 

Simon pouted a moment and sat up as well. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow." 

"Of course. We're going out. Seven alright?" 

"Great." 

Terry hugged Lucy as he passed her, then headed downstairs. 

Simon stared after his love until he couldn't hear his feet on the steps anymore. Then he met Lucy's astonished look. "What?" 

"You two weren't going to...you know." 

"Of course not! We were just kissing, that's all." 

"It didn't look like that was all." 

"Whatever. What is it you needed?" 

"Mom was wondering when you were going to get on the dishes." 

Simon's shoulders slumped. "Oh yeah." He stretched and stood. "I'll get right on them." 

"I'll go tell her." Lucy left Simon's room and headed for her own. _It still looked more like just kissing to me. They'd better be careful. If mom or dad catches them like that, they can kiss dating good bye for a while._

~*()*~ 

"So it went smoothly?" 

"For the most part." Terry examined the string on one of the balloons floating above the gift table. "You know, you should give some of these to the children's wing. They'd love to receive even a single flower." 

"That's a good idea." Eric yawned. "I'll tell the nurse to do that tomorrow." 

Terry nodded and walked over to Eric's bed. "But yeah, it went pretty okay. I think Kevin and Simon will be fine, and Kevin and Lucy will be fine. Kevin and I, however, that may take a while. It's not like he liked me before hand, with all the time I spent with Lucy." 

"Yeah. But I'm sure you'll grow on him. You grew on us." 

Terry chuckled. "That I did, that I did. So how soon do they think you're going to go home?" 

"Five or seven more days, depending on how well rehab goes." 

"You'll do well. Oh, I almost forgot." Terry looked around, then picked up a book on a table by the door. "I knew I brought it in." 

"What's that?" 

Terry handed the book to Eric. "My brother suggested I get it for you. It's a book on how to write memoirs." 

Eric raised an eyebrow. "My memoirs?" 

Terry shrugged. "He figured since you love to write sermons, and you can't for a while, writing this instead would help keep your mind and hands busy while you recover. I didn't think it was that great an idea, but you know aniki...well, kinda." 

Eric shook his head and set the book on the end table. "I'll look at it tomorrow. Writing a book might not be a bad idea." 

"Just remember, it was my brother's idea." Terry glanced at his watch. "I should let you get to sleep. I'll try and swing by with Simon next week." 

"How's it going between you two?" 

Terry ran a hand through his hair. "There haven't been too many fights, if that's what you mean. And since he's faced his personal demons, he's been doing a lot better. Though, I think the whole Kevin thing rattled him a bit." 

"I bet it rattled Kevin, too. You hit him, or anyone, with news like that it's like hitting them with a sledgehammer." 

Terry tilted his head and nodded slightly. "I guess that's true. Now, I really need to get going. See you next week." 

"Thanks for stopping by." 

Terry smiled and left the room. 

Eric's smile faded and he settled into the bed. _So everyone's doing fine without me. _He glanced at the book Terry had brought him. _I can't write sermons any more. I can't be a minister for a while. _He closed his eyes. _Terry once told me of a darkness in his heart. I feel like I have one, but it's more of an emptiness. Of what, though...I don't know of what..._

~*()*~ 

~*()*~  
~*()*~ 

Baka: idiot 

Ne: right 

Sayonara: good bye 

Aniki: older brother 

Hai: yes 

Author's Prattle: Sorry it took so long. I had to prepare for a Lab Practical, so I couldn't spend as much time as I would've liked on it. Next week looks just as bad, with the second Bio mid-term, but after Wednesday it'll be a lot easier, and I've got Spring Break after that (might even get two chapters out that week). Then a Chem test, but that won't be hard. So with luck I'll be back to one a week. 

Again, the stereotypes that Terry has in his mind, as well as the religious arguments and statements presented are not my personal views and I am not trying to offend anyone. I am attempting to make it as realistic as I can (considering this is 7th Heaven) and tried to stay along the lines of Eric's arguments against Matt marrying and converting to Judaism. I apologize if I have offended anyone. 

The flashback Terry was having wasn't just of any dog. I asked my beta if she understood, but she didn't, so here's the explanation. Remember a few chapters back Terry mentions a boy that committed suicide after his family found out about his orientation? That's who's dog it is. So for those of you who figured it out, congrads! For those who didn't, don't feel bad. I just thought it'd be a good way to explore some of Terry's personal history. 

For those of you wondering about whether or not Kevin and Ben come to terms with Terry and Simon, well, you'll have to wait and see (the answer isn't even in the spoiler). Because of this setup, however, I have to deviate from some of the normal 7th Heaven timeline. While I figure the police ride-along episode will be alright, the episode where Simon takes Ben to an underage dance club will probably be excluded (at least that part of the plot line). I hope to have it figured out by next chapter, and suggestions on how to integrate it are appreciated. 

Due to the one mishap with FF.N administrators, I'm gonna put a disclaimer in each Prattle from here on out to ensure I'm covered. I don't own 7th Heaven, nor the characters, the idea, anything. I'm just using them to explore my creative talents. I also don't own the song Terry was singing, that's from Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (hey, like the manga, the music is way better than the anime, especially the dubbed version. And let's face it, everyone's seen it as a kid). The song was "Someday Somebody," one of Ami's image songs. Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi The full lyrics and translation can be found at Animelyrics.com. 

Finally, feedback and reviews are always appreciated. Thanks for reading, and see you next chapter. 


	20. My, How Time Flies

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

Chapter Twenty: My, How Time Flies... 

Terry swirled the soda in his hand and glanced around the room. His bangs, black due to the dye he used for his costume, fell into his eyes a moment and he brushed them back. _Get a haircut after today._ His costume of Ranma was rather simple. His hair was the most difficult aspect of it, as he had had to grow it out long enough to tie-off a short ponytail, and then dye it black. His clothes, though, were easy to put together. He wore a teal tank top that had a deep v-neck, revealing part of his chest. His forearms were donned with black armbands, matching the color of his pants, which bunched around his ankles, but were otherwise loose fitting. 

Though his costume was light and airy, he had already worked up a light sheen of sweat from dancing. The party had been in full swing an hour before the official time. _Just like last year. Maybe I should've mentioned that to Simon and Lucy._ Terry noticed a Dracula get pushed off the dance floor. _On the other hand, the true fun doesn't begin until the traditional Halloween people go home._

"Ne, Ranma-kun, aren't you going to ask me for a dance?" 

Terry looked at the ceiling a moment, before closing his eyes and shrugging. "Maybe." 

"Oh come on." The young lady poked Terry's bare arm. "You promised me one dance this year and I want it now." 

Terry sighed. _Why is it whenever there's a party the girls always bother me? They know I'm gay._ "Hai, hai." Terry set his drink down and headed for the dance floor, his female coworker on his arm. _I can't wait until Simon gets here. Then I can start really enjoying myself._

__~*()*~ 

"I'll be back later, mom." 

"Where're you going?" 

Simon raised an eyebrow. "The costume doesn't give it away?" 

Annie scanned over Simon's outfit. He had black knee high boots that had light steel blue pants tucked into them, a matching tunic, and a dark green hooded cloak around his shoulders. On his back was a brown quiver, its string and trim painted a gold color, and it was holding a couple arrows. In his hand was an oak-colored bow, complementing the arm guards. 

"I'm going to Terry's Halloween party." 

"Are those real arrows?" 

Simon coughed and pulled one out, revealing a suction-cupped tip. "Of course not." He placed it back in the quiver. 

"Very well. Just be back by curfew. If we're not home, we're still at the church dealing with the party there." 

"I know." Simon grabbed the keys and went out the back door. He glanced around, somewhat self-consciously. _I can't believe I was actually talked into this._ While he knew his boyfriend would be glad he got into the holiday spirit, he felt silly. It wasn't that the clothes were uncomfortable, nor were they uncomplimentary to his figure. The gel ears, though, were killing him. They kept itching, and he was afraid to touch them. _On the plus side, Terry'll probably think they're cute._ So, climbing into his car, he started the engine and headed for the address Terry had given him. 

~*()*~ 

"What's got you so upset tonight? You've been glaring at everything since I picked you up." 

Kevin glanced at Roxanne. _Oh, nothing. My future wife is just hanging out with a gay guy who I don't like and they're at a party full of models._ He blinked. _I'm starting to sound like Lucy._

"Kevin?" 

"It's just something with Lucy, alright? She's going to a party I don't want her to go to." 

"Is that all? Why didn't you ask for a different shift so you could go with her?" 

"Because I have to do my job. I can't change everything just to make her happy." 

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "Kinkirk, you're really something." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"Nothing."  
~*()*~ 

"I can't believe Kevin said I shouldn't come." 

Simon shrugged. He had arrived at the photo studio around the same time as his sister. 

Lucy adjusted her cape and headdress. Like Simon, she hadn't been sure what to wear. In the end, she wound up at a costume store, where the last remaining outfit that fit her was Batgirl, from the Batman Returns movie. _It's not that bad. I just hope none of my friends see me like this. _After looking over Simon's costume, though, she didn't feel as out of place, or embarrassed. 

"You look good." 

"So do you. Terry's going to love that outfit." 

Simon grinned slightly and went in the door. Immediately, he and Lucy were assaulted by pounding music. Simon winced and squinted his eyes, trying to see Terry through the dim light. 

Lucy remained by Simon's side, also looking for the male model. She spotted him first. "There!" She pointed for Simon's benefit. 

Simon followed her finger and found Terry gyrating his body with a girl dressed in some tight red latex suit. His eyes were closed, and Simon could tell his boyfriend was just moving with the music, not with the girl. Still, he felt his cheeks grow a bit hot and pushed his way through the crowd. 

Lucy raised her eyebrow. _So he gets jealous too._ She spotted a table with some food and walked in that direction. _Let's see what they have to eat._

Simon finally made it to Terry and tapped the girl dancing him on the shoulder. "Can I cut in?" 

Either the girl hadn't heard him or ignored him, as she kept dancing in close proximity to Terry. 

Simon glanced around, then decided to take a more aggressive action and grabbed Terry's arm. 

Terry opened his eyes and blinked, reorienting himself. When he focused on Simon, though, he smiled. He nodded towards the wall and led the elf-dressed teen in that direction. When they were off the dance floor, Terry pulled Simon into a hug and kissed him. "Hey there." 

"Who was that?" 

"Asuka Souryu Langley. From Evangelion." 

"Who?" 

Terry tilted his head, then hit his forehead. "Sorry. Susan. She's a coworker of mine and a major Eva fan. Mostly a hand model." Terry smirked. "Simon Camden, are you jealous?" 

Simon shifted slightly. "Maybe a little." 

Terry laughed and hugged him again. "You don't need to worry. No one could tear me away from you. I owed her a dance, that's all." He stepped back and looked Simon over. "I love your costume. Legolas, right?" 

Simon nodded. "Yeah." 

"The ears killing you?" 

"How did you-" 

"I considered that costume for a while, but the gelatinous ears kept irritating my skin." 

Simon sighed. _Jordon could've TOLD me that._ "Yeah, well, I'm glad you like it." 

"You look pretty cute with them, despite the fact they itch." 

Simon blushed lightly. "You look great." _Sexy, too._

"Oh! Did Lucy and Kevin come?" 

"Lucy did. She's Batgirl." 

Terry looked around the room and caught Lucy's eye, waving at her. 

Lucy waved back, sipping her cup of punch. _He's cute today. Sometimes I envy Simon at times. He's almost as sexy as Kevin._

"Come on, let's dance." 

"Only if it's with me." 

Terry kissed Simon again. "Who else?" He led Simon back out to he dance floor. 

~*()*~ 

"I just don't like that she's hanging out with all those models." 

"Like she doesn't like you working with me?" 

Kevin shook his head. "That's entirely different. You're my partner. My life may depend on you." 

Roxanne threw away her empty coffee cup. "But I bet it's the same thing in Lucy's mind." 

"She's hanging out with a model when she doesn't have to." 

"They're friends." Roxanne folded her hands behind her back. "I do believe friends tend to hang out." 

"I don't like this friend. And I don't like that he's taking her to party with a bunch of models." 

"Do you not like that because you don't trust her? Or because you don't trust him?" 

"I don't trust him, but for other reasons. I know he won't go after Lucy." 

"Why not?" 

Kevin looked away, watching a car pass by on the street. _I can't tell her._

"Well?" 

"I just know, okay? Can we change the subject?" 

"You're the one who brought up Lucy. Not me." 

Kevin let out a sigh through his nose. _Me and my big mouth._

~*()*~ 

"You sure you don't mind hanging out with me?" 

"Naw. I've got to study for my midterms." 

"Isn't it a bit early for those?" 

Robbie shrugged. "I'm taking them early. You know, I'm trying to graduate before the end of the semester." 

Eric nodded. "That's impressive." 

"Thanks." Robbie noticed a book on the coffee table and picked it up. "What's this?" 

"A book Terry's brother thought I'd like." 

"You're going to write your memoirs?" 

"I'm seriously considering it, yes. Or writing in general," Eric's posture slumped, "seeing as I can't write any sermons for a while. You know, them hiring an associate pastor just makes me want to-" 

"Is that the doorbell?" Robbie glanced over his shoulder. 

"I didn't hear anything." 

"Maybe, but I should check anyway. Don't want to disappoint the trick-or-treaters." Robbie stood and headed for the front door. _Mrs. Camden said to avoid brining that up._

Eric frowned. _Okay, what was that about? _

~*()*~ 

"I had a really great time tonight." 

"Me too." 

"May I do something you've been wanting to do all night?" 

Simon blinked. "Um, sure?" 

Terry reached up and peeled the gel ears off. 

Simon laughed and immediately began scratching the slightly irritated skin. "Thank you!" 

Terry tossed the molds into a trash can. "They did look cute on you, though." He leaned forward and kissed Simon. "I'm glad you had a great time, even that you came." 

"Me too." Simon wiped his hands on his pants and scooted closer to Terry. They were both sitting on a bench outside of the studio, the party still in full swing behind them. "I'm just sad Lucy had to leave early." 

Terry laughed this time. "Well, the first few guys that hit on her she was okay with, but when that lesbian asked to dance, I think she freaked a little." 

Simon laughed with him. "I'm sure she'll have plenty of fun at the church." 

"I'm sure." Terry examined the bow. "Nice accessory. I have a more realistic one, though. You could've asked me to borrow it." 

"I wanted my costume to be a surprise." 

Terry smiled. "How thoughtful." He set the weapon down. "I'm glad to hear that things are going well with Kevin." 

"There's a...truce. He's trying, he really is." Simon fiddled with his hands. "It's hard for him, but I think he's getting used to my orientation. Saturday he's even taking me on a ride-along, to help me out with social studies extra credit." 

Terry raised an eyebrow. "A ride-along in Glen Oak. What fun." 

Simon rested against his boyfriend. "Yeah, it'll be dull, but hey, extra credit is extra credit." 

"Let's just hope you have something to write about other than getting in the car and talking about Lucy." 

Simon chuckled. "Yeah...say, Terry, could you do me, well, my dad a favor?" 

"You know that as long as it's legal I will." 

Simon leaned back and hunched his shoulders slightly. "Would you...check out this Chandler guy?" 

"The new associate pastor? You mean get an FBI check?" 

Simon shook his head. "No, no, lord no. But, well," 

"Tell him to get lost check?" 

"Yeah, sorta that." 

Terry sighed. "I won't just tell him to get lost. I will check him out as a person, though." 

"And maybe warn him to back off with regard to dad's job?" 

"I'll do what a can." Terry kissed Simon. "Is that all?" 

"Well, there's this dance next Friday. A western theme at the Pool Hall." 

"You want to be seen dancing with me?" 

"No, not yet. But I thought maybe...we could hang out? To be honest, anything's better than hanging out with dad." 

"That I'll give you. He made me feel so depressed last time I visited." Terry rubbed his face, then reached back and undid his ponytail. "I can't wait to wash out this dye. Black is not my color. If I can get it out, I'll join you." He smirked. "I haven't worn a cowboy outfit since that shoot two months ago." 

"I didn't know you did a western shoot." 

"I have the photos at home. I'll show them to you next time you're over." Terry rested his forehead against Simon's. "Want a goodnight kiss before you go?" 

"Are you sure it's safe?" 

"Simon, you gyrated provocatively with me and no one even glanced once. They know I'm gay, and they don't care." Terry leaned his mouth forward. 

"Well, if they don't care..." Simon closed his eyes and met Terry halfway. 

Terry closed his own eyes and felt Simon's tongue push against his mouth. _I think a long good-bye is in order._  
~*()*~  
"Glad I caught you before you went out." 

Simon shifted his bag. "Me too. If I had lost that armband..." 

Terry chuckled and kissed Simon's cheek. His voice lowered. "I remember how you lost that armband. Your hands certainly roam when we kiss. You have to be careful. Your watch could catch in my hair." 

Simon blushed and headed down the stairs. 

Terry followed. "I called you-know-who. I'm meeting him shortly." 

"Good luck, and thanks." 

"Anything for you." 

Simon nodded and went out the door. 

Terry rested his hands on the stair railing a few minutes. _He's even cutter when he blushes._

"Hey, nice hair. Someone spill ink on you?" 

Terry hung his head. "How diplomatic, Annie." 

"Sorry. But that is what it looks like." 

Terry glanced at his bangs. "So the dye didn't wash out completely in a few showers. I'll get it later." 

"Right. Oh, would you tell Eric to stay home and out of trouble?" 

"It'd love to, but I've got an appointment to keep. See you this evening." Terry glanced out the window. _They've left._ He stepped outside and headed for his car.  
~*()*~ 

Chandler looked around Pete's, trying to find who had called him from the church. 

"You look lost. I'm guessing you're Chandler." 

Chandler turned to find a teen standing next to him. He had sandy hair, though it looked like someone had spilled a balloon filled with black paint over his head, and bright golden brown eyes. _I don't think I've seen him in the congregation._ "Yes. And you are...?" 

"Dax." Terry stuck out his hand. 

Chandler shook it. "Nice to meet you." 

"Ditto." Terry looked around, then took a table by the sidewalk. "I'm glad you could spare some time to talk with me." 

"I have to admit, I was surprised that you called. Not many people have asked to talk with me, much less know of me." 

"Oh, I know of you." Terry flagged a waiter. "Pitcher of water and two glasses." He faced Chandler again. "I've heard all about you." 

Chandler shifted in his seat. "Oh?" 

"From the Camdens. They're good friends of mine, almost family." 

Chandler slowly nodded, folding his hands on the table. "So Reverend Camden sent you." 

Terry shook his head. "I'm here on the request of someone else, as well as myself. Your job is simply an associate pastor, correct?" 

"Yes." 

Terry smiled at the waiter and poured himself a glass of water. "You want one?"  
"No thanks." 

Terry shrugged and set the pitcher down, fingering the sides of his glass. "I invited you mainly to learn who you are." Terry sat up straighter. "But I will give you a warning. The Camdens are very close to me. If you're just an associate pastor, I commend you for taking on the task, and I'll offer my support. If, on the other hand, you are planning to take over Eric's position, I will rain down on you like the fires of Hell." Terry grinned and lifted his glass. "Do we understand each other?" 

"Quite clearly." _I knew this was a mistake._ Chandler glanced at the sidewalk. 

"Good, good. So...what are you planning to talk about this Sunday?" 

Chandler blinked. _Why the sudden change of subject?_ "Money in the modern world." 

Terry nodded. "A good topic." Terry rested his arms on the table. "Do you have it planned out for a few Sundays." 

"Why?"  
"There's a sermon that Eric has been working on throughout the year at intervals. I've been working on it with him, but now that he's off for a while, I was wondering if you could finish what he started." 

"Are you sure that's wise?" 

"It's...crucial that the community get this message." Terry drank some of his water. 

"Why? What's its message?" 

Terry glanced around, then leaned forward. He opened his mouth, then closed it, his eyes searching Chandler's face for a moment. After a minute, he sat back. "I'd rather talk about it in Eric's office. It's not something easily talked about, and I won't want anyone overhearing just yet." 

Chandler's brow furrowed and he frowned. _This is certainly interesting. _"Are you sure it's smart for me to do it then?" 

"I'll give you copies of the other sermons he's given, as well as the final one that needs to be given. If you really are uncomfortable with it, you can just forget about the sermon and we'll figure out something else." Terry locked eyes with Chandler. "And I do mean forget. It's not something you can mention casually." 

Chandler once again shifted uneasily. _I don't know whether to bolt or stay. _

Terry blinked as his watch went off. "K'so." He glanced at Chandler. "Sorry. I've got to go. I'm supposed to be across town with my business manager. I'll have those sermons dropped off at your office later." Terry got up and headed off. 

Chandler watched him leave. _Who is this kid? I'd better talk to Lou. Find out what this is all about._  
~*()*~ 

"So you talked to him?" 

Terry nodded and ran his hand over Simon's. "Mmhmm. G. String G." 

Simon shook his head and set his instrument down. "Terry, I want to talk about this." 

Terry sighed. "Simon, does it really matter what happened?" 

"Yes." 

Terry ran a hand through his hair. "I did as you asked, and made it very clear to not go after Eric's job." 

Simon waited. "That's it?" 

"I didn't scare him off because maybe Eric does need him. I don't know. Right now, though, we need him." 

Simon tilted his head, confused. "Why?" 

"The final sermon. We need someone to give it before we can come out. At least, we should give it before we come out." 

Simon's eyes widened. "You didn't ask him to-" 

Terry nodded. "We can't wait for Eric." 

"Yes we can! Terry, I can't believe you'd do something like that!" 

"He's from a big city, he's got a Ph.D., and he seems like a nice guy. I think it's okay to trust him." 

"What about dad, though? He'll be hurt-" 

"He'll be fine. He'll understand." Terry sat back. "Simon, keeping this a secret is harming you. Remember?" 

Simon remained silent and looked away. 

"Being gay isn't easy, and sometimes we have to take leaps of faith on issues of trust. I believe Chandler is professional enough to keep it a secret if he doesn't want to give the sermon. And if he does give it, then he does. We both agreed we should come out this year. The year is ending. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. We're telling your extended family." Terry leaned forward. "Simon?" 

"Sorry. I'm sorry." 

"About what?" 

"Doubting your judgment. You've been doing this longer than me." 

Terry chuckled and pulled Simon into a hug. "You have nothing to be sorry about. Life around here is a bit crazy, and it's affecting everyone. Us coming out on top of everything else is bound to be stressful." He rubbed Simon's back. "To be honest, all of you have been a bit on edge since Eric's surgery." 

"Wouldn't you be?" Simon leaned back and looked at Terry. "If it was your brother or mother?" 

"If it was my mother, she'd be up and about, eating fried chicken and doing her daily ten mile jog within a week of the surgery." 

Simon smiled slightly. 

"My brother, I guess I would be a bit on edge, but I also know he can take care of himself. If he came through the surgery fine, and he did fine after the first week out of the hospital, I would probably let it go and start thinking of him as I always have, without regard to his condition. You're a very emotional family, ours is slightly more practical. Haven't you ever heard of the British way of keeping up morale? When they're flat on their back, you treat them as if they're going to be fine and do things as if it were business as usual." 

"I never heard that." 

Terry frowned a moment. "Maybe I heard it from a television show. Anyway, we should give him a chance. I think we can trust him, whether he wants to give the sermon or not." 

Simon nodded. "Alright. I'll...try. It'll be hard, though. Dad won't like it too much." 

"Teenagers do a lot their fathers don't like." Terry kissed Simon's nose. "This is just another item added to the list. I believe Chandler when he says he's not going after Eric's job. That should be all the reassurance we need." 

"Yeah." Simon ran a hand through Terry's hair. 

"You're scared about Thanksgiving, aren't you." 

"Yeah." 

Terry chuckled. "Well, to help you unwind, why don't we go to some club the weekend before they arrive? You know, dinner, dance, be merry, all of that." 

Simon perked up a bit. "That'd be great. Have you ever been to Club Minor?" 

"Club Minor?" Terry looked amused. "And that would be...?" 

"A club for teens between fourteen and twenty." 

"Simon, don't you want to go somewhere where we can dance together? Somehow, I think we'll be noticed if we go there, and it won't be as much fun." 

Simon's shoulders slumped. "Well, that's true...but we're too young to go anywhere else." 

"No we're not." Terry closed his eyes a moment. "I know a club we can go to near the park." He opened them. "The Lime Rain, I think." 

"Lime Rain? We can't go there. I mean, not only is it for adults, you have to be rich or famous or some...thing..." Simon blinked. "You can go in, can't you. But you're a minor!" 

"Minors are allowed in, too. They have a separate section for it. You have to be at least sixteen, though. And yes, I have been in there before. Most of the models hang out there after or before shoots." Terry shrugged. "The company has some sort of licensing deal. As long as you're with me, you can come along." 

"But the alcohol-" 

"They won't serve you. Trust me." Terry picked up Simon's guitar and handed it to him. "Now come on. Let's try the piece again." 

Simon grabbed his instrument and placed his fingers on the strings. "You're sure it's okay?" 

"I am. We'll go at six. Now focus."  
~*()*~ 

"I cannot believe Kevin broke up our date to look for Lucy." 

Terry looked at the sky. A week had passed since the Halloween party, and he and Simon had headed to the western-themed Pool Hall to hang out, and maybe dance if they could, to unwind from the tension of the week. _Unfortunately, fate seems to have other plans for us. Just when we got a good discussion going, too. _"I don't believe it either, Simon. You and I both know she's a big girl. It's Kevin that's the problem." 

"I mean, I am a little worried, but what trouble could she be in? This is Lucy, for crying out loud." Simon rubbed his arm and turned around. "I give up. We've looked everywhere." 

"I'm not too worried. Although this little escapade has made me seriously think about paying for a family plan of cell phones for you guys." Terry stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned against a lamp pole. "At least the night hasn't been a total waste." 

"What do you mean? We barely got to spend any time at the pool hall." 

"But we got to spend time with each other." 

Simon rubbed his forehead. "I just...wanted to focus on you. We never got to dance, even alone. I didn't want to spend the evening...searching for my sister." 

"We could go back to my place and dance. Or just hang out." 

Simon looked at his watch. "We can't. We have to meet up with Kevin." 

Terry shrugged and stood up again. "Well, there's always the club. Only a couple weeks away." 

"I'm still a bit nervous about that." 

"Oh pish, nothing to be nervous about. I've gone dozens of times. It'll be fun. Especially now that I'll have you to dance with." 

Simon sighed. "Yeah." He suddenly snapped his fingers. "Oh!" 

Terry looked at him. "You figure out where Lucy is?" 

"No, but, ah," Simon rubbed the back of his neck, "I told Kevin he could finally tell Roxanne." 

"Is that all?" 

Simon blinked. "It's not a big deal to you?" 

"Roxanne can keep a secret. Something tells me she has a few of her own. Come on, we'll be late meeting them." 

~*()*~ 

"He's gay?!" 

Kevin nodded. He had arrived at the meeting point early, and decided he should tell his partner the truth. She had been asking about Terry's availability, and had a right to know the truth. _Here's hoping she doesn't take it too badly._

"And you're okay with this?! He hangs around with your fiancé all the time!" 

"I'm not completely okay with it, but I have to be. He's Simon's boyfriend." 

"Simon's gay?!" 

"Keep your voice down." Kevin glanced around, making sure no one heard them. "Lucy wants me to get along with Simon, which I'm trying very hard to do." 

Roxanne shook her head. "Unbelievable." 

"I thought it best you should know before you asked him out. And I still say he's young for you." 

"That's my business, Kinkirk." She rubbed her forehead. "Why are all the cute ones taken." 

Kevin looked at the roof of the car. _I've heard that before._ "Just, try not to broadcast the fact that either of them are gay yet. Simon felt that as my partner you had a right to know." 

"I should just give up on men in general. It's obvious I'm never going to find one that's straight, single, and handsome." 

Kevin spotted Simon and Terry approaching. _I still get shivers when I see them together. I just can't...get comfortable with the idea of two guys kissing. I guess I'd better, though. Lucy'll kill me if I don't._ "They're coming. Try to pull yourself together." 

"Easy for you to say."  
~*()*~ 

"So, I'm guessing you read the sermons, and that's why you called me?" 

Chandler motioned for Terry to take a chair. "Yeah." 

Terry sat down and set his helmet to the side. "Well, good thing you closed the door. So," he folded his hands over his knees, "go ahead and say it. I know you want to." 

"You're gay? You hardly seem like the type." 

Terry smirked. "Yep, that's the reaction. Yes, I'm gay. I am very gay. I have a boyfriend and everything." 

"But why would Reverend Camden agree to work this accepting message into the community?" 

"Can you keep a secret?" 

Chandler nodded. "Of course."  
"My boyfriend is his son." 

Chandler furrowed his brow in thought. "The...blond one...Simon?" 

"That's my koibito." Terry crossed his arms and leaned back. "Our secret is starting to weigh heavily on his mind, though. Camdens don't keep secrets easily."  
"They've kept this one pretty well. I had no idea." 

"I said they don't keep them easily, not that they couldn't keep them. Simon and I want to tell the community by the end of the year, if possible. Will you help us?" 

Chandler picked up the sermon and scanned through it, even though he already knew what it said. _It's really not my place. _He bit his lip. _But I should help him._ He sighed. _No, I can't do it._ "I'm sorry, Dax. I wish I could, but this is something that, well, I think Reverend Camden should do. It's his son, after all. And he's been working on it all year." 

Terry closed his eyes. _Well, I knew this was a possibility._ "The problem is, we don't know when," _or if, _"Eric is returning to the pulpit. If it's a year from now, it's going to be a big problem for us." 

Chandler set the sermon down and leaned forward. "I feel you should give him a chance to give it, though." 

Terry pursed his lips. "How about this, if he doesn't return by the end of the year, you'll give it for him." 

Chandler looked at his calendar. "Alright, that's fair." 

Terry smiled and stood, grabbing his helmet. "Thanks." 

"No problem." 

Terry shook Chandler's hand and headed for the door. He paused and glanced back. "If you ever want to just talk, grab a cup of coffee, a bite to eat, feel free to call me." 

Chandler raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that like consorting with the enemy?" 

"I'm getting Simon to understand you're not the enemy. You're just someone to help Eric. That realization will spread through the family eventually. After all, Lucy came to it, what, three nights ago?" 

Chandler tilted his head. "Yes, well..." 

Terry chuckled. "Look, if you need a buddy for lunch or need help, just call. It's the least I can do for the favor you're doing for us." 

Chandler waved his hand. "Alright, alright. I'll keep it in mind." 

"Great. Catch you later." Terry stepped out of his office. 

Chandler filed the sermon away and looked through his calendar. _Nice to know there's one person in the Camden ranks trying to get them to understand I'm here to help. _

~*()*~ 

_"Even my mom has someone. Heck, you're gay and you have someone."_

_"Yeah, that sucks. Hey, you should come with Terry and me to the club tonight."_

_"Where, Club Minor? I don't think so."_

_"No. We're going to the Lime Rain."_

_"You're kidding, right? You're underage. How're you getting in? Fake ID's?"_

_"Terry's company has connections there and he gets in for free. Come on. There'll be plenty of women your age there."_

_"I don't know."_

_"Most of them will be models."_

_"Well...alright."  
"Great. He's coming at six, so be ready."_

Ben shook the conversation out of his head. He had returned to Glen Oak to spend Thanksgiving with the Camdens, and had been dejected about not having anyone to spend the holidays with. _So I get talked into coming to this fancy club._ Simon was right about one thing: most of the women were models. What he hadn't mentioned was that most of them already had boyfriends. _Not to mention no one wants to dance with me. The instant they find out I'm a fireman they vanish. Normally that's a huge chick magnet._

"You should go out and dance. Maybe you'll get lucky." 

Ben glanced to his side. "Why aren't you out on the floor with your boyfriend?" 

Terry crossed his arms and watched Simon dance, his body swaying freely among the throng of people. "I like watching him. His guard is down here." 

"What're you talking about?" 

"Simon keeps a guard up, we all do. It's a natural instinct we have to protect ourselves. But here, he's free. Music does more than tame the savage beast, Ben. It releases inhibitions. Out there, where he knows he can be with me and be himself, he's completely uninhibited. It's rare that I see him like that, and it's a sight I enjoy." Terry sighed. 

Ben wrinkled his nose. _Disgusting. Still, if my brother can stand them..._

"Hey guys." 

Terry smiled and kissed Simon briefly. "Finished already?" 

"Just getting a drink." 

Terry tapped Simon's nose. "Don't be long. The next dance is mine." Terry nodded at Ben and waded into the mass of moving bodies. 

"Isn't he great?" 

"Yeah. Great." Ben sighed and looked at Simon. "What do you see in him?" 

"Terry?" Simon grabbed a glass of water from the bar and took a gulp before answering. "Well, he's free. Look at him. He's guarded in this community, but most of the time, he doesn't care what anyone thinks and can be himself. He doesn't hide who he is, his feelings, anything. His life's an open book, and he could care less whether people judge it or not." Simon took another swig of water. 

"And this attracts you?" 

"It's one thing that attracts me. There's a long list." Simon set his glass back down and watched Terry dance. "He knows what he wants in life, Ben. He knows and he works for it, ignoring all the people who say it's impossible. He doesn't allow anything to stop him." 

_Ugh. That's a bit too much mushy stuff for me. _Ben shook his head. "Get back out on the dance floor." 

"Hey, you asked. You should come out and dance. I'm sure you'd find a great girl." Simon went out and met up with Terry. Both of them started dancing in sync with each other, the people around them acting as if they were any ordinary couple. 

Ben turned away and stuffed his hands in his pockets. _Dance out there? No thanks. Coming here was a big mistake._

"Hey." 

Ben blinked and smiled at the woman who had spoken to him. "Hey." 

"I haven't seen you here before." 

"Oh, I came with Dax." 

"Really." The woman glanced out on the floor and spotted Terry, who had his arms around Simon's waist. "It appears he's with someone else." 

"Yeah, well, I'm kinda the third wheel. They thought I could find someone." 

"Find someone. I see." The woman made eye contact with someone behind Ben. "Tell me, what do you do for a living?" 

_Here we go again. _"I'm a fire fighter in New York. I'm visiting my brother for Thanksgiving." 

"A fire fighter. How quaint." She put her arms behind her back and smiled. "I'm afraid you're a little out of your league. I'll have to ask you to leave." 

"Excuse me?" 

"I've had a few complaints from some of the ladies you talked to." 

"About what?" 

"Mostly that you hit on them. Every woman in here is under eighteen." 

"No way." Ben looked over the room. "That's impossible. With figures like those?" 

"Please don't make a scene and just go, sir. I'd hate to have to force you off the premises." 

Ben crossed his arms. "And just who are you to order me about?" 

"The head of security. Now do I have to call over some guards, or will you leave?" 

Ben sighed and headed for the door. "Fine, fine." _Simon, you are so dead when you get home. And they couldn't all have been under eighteen. Not when they're that filled out. Right?  
_~*()*~  
"Okay, so it was a bit of a disaster. But hey, how was I to know it was minor's night? Usually the photographers join us." 

"All I know is I'm never going with you ever again." 

"Ben, it was an honest mistake. Terry didn't mean to get you in trouble." 

"Whatever. I'm going to bed." 

Terry watched Ben leave. "Honestly, Simon. There's normally a ton of older women from work as well." 

Simon patted Terry's arm. "It's okay. He'll get over it." He rubbed Terry's arms. "And we had fun." 

Terry grinned and kissed Simon. "That we did. And we'll have more time to have fun like that after we come out completely." 

Simon sighed and sat on a stool. "Yeah...I guess so." 

"Still scared about later this week?" 

"Terrified. My grandparents are coming Wednesday. Tuesday, if they feel like surprising us." Simon looked at Terry. "I'm worried, Terry. The Colonel, Grandpa, Aunt Julie, they're all going to be there." 

"That's the point, Simon." 

"Do you know how volatile the situation could turn with that mixture? Add into that Mary's move to Fort Lauderdale, Kevin and Ben's homophobia, Lucy's neurotic behavior, and my dad's mid-life crisis. This isn't going to end well, Terry. It's going to explode in our faces!" 

Terry grabbed Simon's shoulders. "Calm down! You're panicking before they're even here." 

"Terry, I can't do this. I can't. Not with everything that's going on. It'll just make things worse around here." 

Terry pulled Simon into a hug. "Stop thinking like that, Simon. We'll be just fine. Sure, there may be some shocks, but your family made it through. Your extended family will make it through too. You can't make up excuses, you can't put it off, and you can't never tell them. They have a right to know, and the secret is weighing heavily on your conscious." 

Simon held Terry tightly. "Terry, I'm so scared." He felt a tear slide down his cheek. "Oh God, Terry, I'm so scared." 

Terry closed his eyes and stroked Simon's hair. _I know, Simon. I'm just as scared. But I'll be your rock. I'll make sure you make it through this with as little pain as possible._ "It'll be alright, Simon. Have faith." 

"I've used so much already..." 

"That's what's so good about faith: you can never run out. Just trust that everything will work out well." 

"Do you?" 

Terry remained silent a moment. 

"Terry?" 

"I trust that God won't make things more difficult than they need to be. Whatever the outcome, He has a purpose for it all. Have faith. It's all we can do." 

Simon rested his head against Terry's shoulder. _Faith..._

~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~ 

Ne: hey, right 

-kun: respectful honorific usually attributed to a man 

Hai: yes 

K'so: damn 

Koibito: my love 

Author's Prattle: I'd like to apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. Last week I had my second biology midterm (which I wanted to ace, so I devoted all my extra time on studying). As a result, I got very little finished chapter-wise. Then I worked on the weekend (the sales are picking up again) with the added bonus of having to train a back-up for my position (and I'm not as paranoid as Eric. She doesn't want my job, she already has two others). And then Monday was the beginning of my Spring Break, and for the first time in months, I did NOTHING all day, and it was wonderful. Now, however, I have to get back to writing and all my other chores (have to do the lawns). With luck, after next week (have a chem test), I'll be able to churn these out once a week once again. I think I have a couple holidays this month anyway, so that'll help. And again, sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. 

In response to some of the feedback I've gotten regarding chapters eighteen and nineteen, I would like to once again apologize to anyone I might've offended. I tried to make it as close to the show as possible (that's probably how they would've done it), however, I did do some research to try and be accurate to the Catholic point of view on homosexuality (taking into account that I live in the Bay Area, probably the most homophilic area in the United States...wait, isn't that a biology term?). I found that most Catholic schools in the area either ignored the ideas of homosexuality, or suppressed (interestingly, public schools have classes that explore sexual orientation, and they have less funding). I also discussed the topic with Catholic friends, one of which has read through my fic partially (not by choice, mind you). The general consensus was that homosexuality was one of the worst evils a person could commit, though not the top most sin. However, as this is the Camden universe, I exaggerated it slightly (they do that a lot). As for any anti-homosexual views in this chapter, again, I don't mean to offend anyone, and I apologize.  
Had a few cool things happen that I just want to mention. My fic "A Happy Life," the first fic ever dedicated and centering around Happy, inspired someone to write a fic. I'm very honored, and she apologized for calling me a 'she'. FYI, I'm a guy (for those of you who didn't know). Also, another fan of this fic has actually taken on the difficulty of translating it into German to post on a German fanfic board. Cool, ne? I'm am very honored by both of these actions. Arigato for the ego boost during my second Bio mid-term test. And of course WAI! "God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World" just broke the 100 review mark! Thanks to all of you who took time to review and tell me what you thought! Arigato! 

The general disclaimer, again. I do not own 7th Heaven, it's characters, television plot, or any of that. That belongs to Brenda Hampton and Aaron Spelling. Nor do I own Ranma (owned Rumiko Takahashi), Asuka from "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (owned by GIANAX), Legolas or the "Lord of the Rings" (owned by Toliken and the studios that produced the movies), Dracula (pick a movie or book version), Batgirl (again, pick a movie or comic version), or any other costume mentioned. Nor do I condone going to clubs if you're a minor (there are exceptions, like the one for Terry), but go to a minor club if you're too young to drink. That enough disclaimer for you? I think that's everything. 

I believe that's it for this Prattle. Until next chapter! The Camden family is gathering. Be afraid. Be very afraid. 


	21. What Have We Got to be Thankful For?

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

****_By Cypher_

Chapter Twenty-One: What Have We Got to be Thankful For? 

"I love the warm emotion you bring. Though there is pain, I don't complain. How you can inspire me, whenever we're together. Every time it's like a new song, you move me so, I think you know. I won't even say a word, in your arms or far from sight, I'll be your light, like the lonely moon." 

Simon tapped Terry's shoulder.  
Terry glanced over his shoulder and pulled his earphones off. "Hmm?" 

"You're, um, singing again." 

"Sorry." Terry paused his CD player. "I find it helps pass the time." 

Simon sighed and looked over the bath tub he was scrubbing. "Well, it's nice to listen to, but I'm not really in the mood." 

"Still feeling a bit sick?" 

"Yeah." 

Terry rubbed Simon's back. "It'll be fine." 

"I'm not so sure." 

Terry sat there rubbing Simon's back a few more minutes. _I wish I could give him some extra confidence. These must be some grandparents._ "Well, I'd better get moving on the kitchen." He stood up. 

"Thanks for helping clean up the house." 

"Hey, you're having me over for dinner. It's the least I can do. Besides," Terry leaned down and kissed Simon's forehead, "I just like spending time with you." 

Simon reached up and pulled Terry's head down a tad further and kissed him. "I like spending time with you too." 

Terry nuzzled Simon before pulling away and heading for the stairs. He stuck his head back in for a second. "By the by, where'd the twins go?" 

"They're with Ruthie cleaning up the attic a bit." 

"Just checking." Terry stuck his headphones back on and restarted his music. "See what happened to the girl, 'round the midnight..." 

Simon shook his head and continued scrubbing the tub. _I wish I could be as calm as Terry. Even after warning him about the Colonel and the others, he's as easy going as ever. I wish I knew what gave him that strength.  
_~*()*~ 

"You sure Annie said to bring it over today?"  
Julie nodded and unlocked the back door. "She wanted the turkey in the fridge today. Although, she might also be trying to trap us here with mom and dad." 

"Well, we wouldn't want that." Hank stepped passed his wife into the kitchen, balancing the frozen bird in his arm. 

"I wish, that I could turn back time, cause now the guilt is all mine, can't live without the trust from the ones you..." Terry blinked at the back door. "Who are you?" 

Hank and Julie exchanged glances. Julie stepped forward. "We could say the same about you." 

Terry pulled his earphones off and set the mop aside. "I'm Dax. I'm helping Simon and Ruthie clean up while the others pick up the grandparents." 

"I'm Julie, Eric's sister."  
Terry nodded. "Oh yeah, the cured alcoholic. That must make you Hank, the obstetrician that nearly killed Matt and is now Eric's brother-in-law." 

Hank raised an eyebrow. 

"I do my homework. It's nice to meet you." Terry stepped forward and offered his hand. 

Julie tentatively shook it. "Cured alcoholic? That's what he called me?" 

Terry coughed. "Well, um, no. That was a rather crude...identification. Sorry." 

"I should hope so." 

Terry looked at the frozen turkey in Hank's arms. "You want to set that down?" 

"Yes." 

Terry waved Hank over and opened the fridge. "Annie said the turkey was being delivered. Here's the spot." 

Hank gratefully placed the heavy meat onto the cold shelf. "So you're Dax. You look familiar." 

"I was at Matt's wedding, I'm a friend of Simon's. I'll be staying for Thanksgiving. My family's..." Terry rubbed his forehead. "My family's busy is the best way to put it. Since you're part of the Camden family, go ahead and call me Terry." 

"Terry?" Julie set her purse down and sat at the kitchen table. "You said your name was Dax." 

"Dax is the name I formally go by. Terry, my first name, is what friends and family get to call me. You're family to close friends, so you can call me Terry." Terry noted the confused looks on their faces. "It's a Japanese thing." 

"Ah." 

"Terry, I finished the tub. Do you need any help-" Simon paused at the foot of the stairs. "Hey, Aunt Julie, Uncle Hank. I didn't hear you come in." 

"We're just stopping briefly. Had to drop off the turkey." 

Simon smiled and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. "Avoiding the relatives, huh?" 

"You know us too well." 

"Matt taught us the same thing." 

Julie laughed. "I'll bet he did." 

Simon laughed lightly. 

Terry smiled. _It's good to see him laughing. _

Hank's beeper went off and he looked at his waist. "Damn. Julie, I've got to go." 

"Oh, right." Julie stood and headed for the door. Hank moved ahead of her and left. "We'll see you tomorrow, definitely." 

"Later." Simon waved at them. 

"Nice to meet you." 

"You too, Terry." 

Terry closed the door behind them. "I think they'll be fine when we tell them." 

"To be honest, it's not them I'm worried about." Simon pushed off from the wall. "So, anything I can help you with?" 

Terry looked around. "I haven't gotten to dust the living room. You handle that and I'll finish up in here, and then we should be done." 

"Great." Simon headed for the dining room door. 

Terry grabbed his arm. "Hey." 

Simon stopped and faced him. "Yeah?" 

Terry kissed him lightly. "It'll be alright." 

Simon smiled weakly and pulled his arm free, continuing to the living room. 

_He'll stress himself out. Maybe I should take him out tonight after dinner. A movie, a moonlight stroll, something to help him unwind._ Glancing at the clock, Terry put his earphones back on and went back to moping. 

~*()*~ 

"Simon, come on." 

Simon glanced over his shoulder. "Terry, I'm supposed to be home for when they arrive." 

"So they don't get to smother you the instant they walk in the door. Big deal." Terry looked two ways, before pulling Simon along. "You're too tense to meet them. You need to relax, loosen up before you talk to them." 

Simon pulled his arm free and stopped walking. "Maybe I'm tense because I'm nervous about telling them." 

Terry turned and crossed his arms. "If you remain as tense as you are, though, you're going to stress yourself out. Before you get to tell them." He reached over and ran a hand through Simon's hair. "You deserve a chance to relax. Don't go into this with your heart racing and fears mounting. We need to enter this with calm control. What do you say, just an hour of unwinding before the bombs get dropped?" 

Simon mulled over this a moment. _Mom and dad'll probably get upset with me, but Terry's right. My head's been swimming all day. _He looked at the sky and put his hands in his pockets. _I guess an hour won't hurt anyone._ "So where're we heading?" 

Terry grinned and grabbed Simon's arm again. "To a murder." 

Simon raised his eyebrow. _Murder?  
_~*()*~ 

"I'm sure Simon will be back soon. He probably just had to run out and get something." 

Annie continued making her salad. "He knew I didn't want him to go out." 

"You can't exactly blame him." Eric looked into the dining room, where two sets of Camden grandparents were talking with the other Camden children. "I mean, telling us wasn't easy, and if I had to tell the Colonel, well, I think I'd want to get out too." 

"He still shouldn't have gone-" 

"You cheated. You just had to have cheated." Simon pushed open the back door and walked into the kitchen. 

Terry laughed and shut the door behind them, taking off his jacket. "My brother's a genius, my mother's an investigative reporter, and you think I cheated?" 

Simon took Terry's jacket and hung it up. "How else could you have figured it out in forty minutes?" 

"Actually, I figured it out in thirty, but I wanted to give everyone else a chance." 

"See! Only if you cheated could you have known that-" 

"Ahem." 

Simon and Terry paused and glanced at the Camden parents. 

"Hey mom, dad." 

Terry stepped up next to Simon. "It's my fault. He was getting all twisted over, well, you know, and I thought I'd take him to unwind a bit." 

"Where did you take him?" 

Simon walked over to the fridge and pulled out a soda. "Did you know there's a dinner theater in town? We didn't eat, but they let us partake in the murder anyway. It was great." 

"Well, there was some overacting..." Terry waved at Simon. 

Simon nodded and tossed his boyfriend a water bottle. "There you go again about their acting. They had me convinced." 

Annie cut them off. "The point is, Simon, you were supposed to be here." 

Simon sighed. "I know, I know. It's just, Terry was right. I was going nuts. I needed to forget about the family, what's going to happen, everything. Even if it was for a short time." He faced his mother. "I did, and I feel great. I'm sorry, and I know what I did was wrong, but I really did need to get out." 

Annie looked over Terry, then glanced at Eric. "Well, under the circumstances, I guess we can let it go. Just this once." 

Simon grinned. 

"So, out of curiosity, who did it?" 

"Well, everything pointed to the mother." Simon opened his soda. "But Terry figured out that it was the-" 

"Sister." Terry smirked and leaned against the wall. "It's all in thinking like the villain. You guys should go sometime. It's really fun." 

"We'll keep that in mind. Simon, go say hi to your grandparents." 

Simon braced himself and went into the dining room. 

Terry sipped his water. "I'm sorry. I would've waited until after dinner, but it didn't look like he would last that long." 

"It's alright, Terry. Though in the future, I wish you'd leave us a note. All Ruthie could tell us was you went out." Annie set the salad bowl down. 

"We do understand the strain he's under. After all, we, too, are under that strain." Eric picked up a leaf of lettuce and munched on it. 

"Thanks for being so understanding." Terry finished off his water and set it with the other recycling. "Well, I guess it's best I get introduce, hm? After all, I'm Simon's boyfriend, and a guest tomorrow night. Wish me luck." 

"Good luck." 

Annie nodded at Terry. 

And with that, Terry entered the dining room. _I am now entering...the Camden Zone.  
_~*()*~ 

John Camden, more aptly known as the Colonel, was always a perceptive man. When his son's family was overwhelmed that time Eric had a televised sermon to prepare for, he knew he had to fly out and help fix everyone's problems. When his granddaughter, Mary, was in trouble, he could foresee the spiral of destruction she was falling into before any of the others and tried to offer her a way out. 

Eric, his son, had inherited some of that perception, and the Colonel figured that gift helped steer his son towards the ministry. Matt, his eldest grandson, also seemed to have gotten this sixth sense, especially when it came to family members. 

The Colonel wished Matt was there now. Ever since he had arrived, he could tell his grandchildren were nervous about something, and Matt could always figure out what it was. He did know what it wasn't. It wasn't Lucy's new fiancé, Kevin Kinkirk, or his brother, Ben, as both of them seemed slightly nervous as well, and not because they were meeting the Camden grandparents It wasn't Eric or Annie, either. While there was marital tension, Eric was in good health and Annie had never been healthier. 

It revolved around Simon. 

The instant Simon had entered the room, the tension levels had risen tenfold. The Kinkirk brothers had exchanged quick glances, and Lucy began fiddling with her hair slightly. It could've been because Simon was an hour late, but somehow, the Colonel didn't believe that was the only reason. It had something to do with Simon's friend. 

Terry Dax Jordon. 

He had entered smiling, introducing himself as Simon's friend and apologizing for making them late. His sandy hair was slightly longer than Simon's, and his eyes held a mischievous glint that made the Colonel wonder just what this boy was up to. He immediately took a seat by Simon, and began making small talk with the other grandparents. 

The Colonel had deliberately left himself out of those conversations. He knew that Simon and Terry were up to something, and it was big. Lucy kept glancing in his direction, while Ruthie kept Ben occupied and out of the other conversations. Kevin excused himself, and the twins quietly played with their toys. _It's making everyone nervous, the question is, what is it?_ He had ruled out the sort of trouble Mary got into during high school. He would've been notified of that. Partners in a small business made sense, considering Simon's abilities with finances, but it didn't quite fit. 

When they thought no one was looking, Terry and Simon exchanged secretive glances, Simon's green eyes always full of worry and fear, Terry's brown ones always filled with support and courage. The Colonel had counted them doing that at least a dozen times, and each time, Simon seemed to move slightly closer to his friend. 

Shortly after the thirteenth glance, Annie's voice rang out from the kitchen. "Simon, would you help set the table?" 

Simon visibly relaxed and got up. The Colonel noted that Terry watched him go, the brown orbs locked on Simon's form. Then, unexpectedly, Terry faced him and met his gaze. The Colonel tried to interpret what the eyes were saying, but found that there were too many emotions, each masking the other. _He's good._

"So, you're the unofficial patriarch of the family, correct?" 

"It would seem that way." 

Lucy had gone silent, giving Kevin a brief nod as he reentered the room. 

"You were a Colonel in the...air force?" 

"Navy." 

"Navy. Sorry." Terry rested his chin on his hand. 

"Why is it you're spending Thanksgiving with us again?" 

Terry sat up slightly. "Well, let's see. Mom's in," he frowned a moment, "she's covering some European Union conferences. Dad's dead. My brother's in Tokyo and saving up his money to come back during Christmas. When Simon heard I was going spend the holiday alone, he invited me to have dinner here." 

_So the mom's a reporter. _"What's your brother doing in Japan?" 

"Getting settled before he starts graduate school at Tokyo University." 

Ruth nodded. "Tokyo University? Impressive." 

The Colonel glanced at Ruth. _She's finally picked up on it._

Terry shrugged. "No big deal, really." 

The Colonel was about to respond, but Simon returned carrying some food. 

"Hey, look who showed up." Simon stepped aside to reveal Julie and Hank. 

The Colonel smiled and got up to hug his daughter and son-in-law. As he glanced back at the table, though, he noticed Simon take a seat by Terry. _Makes sense, since they're friends, but there's more to it. The way Simon remains by his side whenever he's in the room._

Through dinner, the Colonel talked to everyone but Simon and Terry. He noticed that Simon deliberately monopolized Terry's attention, almost as if he didn't want the teenager consorting with any of the other Camden adults. Julie and Hank managed to coerce some more information from the couple. _A male model. Is Simon his business manager? Or a coworker? That can't be right. Eric wouldn't want Simon doing that sort of thing, not yet._

So, all through dinner, the Colonel devoted part of his attention to Terry and Simon, observing them from the corner of his eye and trying to figure out the true relationship between the two. _I'll find the truth, even if it takes all evening._

Little did he know he wouldn't have to wait much longer. 

~*()*~ 

"I can't do it, Terry. It'll ruin everyone's Thanksgiving!" 

"So you're going to let them ruin your life? Simon, we have been prepping for this for months, now. I know you have a big heart, but you can't sacrifice your happiness for theirs. This secret is hurting you." 

"And what if they react like mom and dad did, huh? Some holiday this would turn out to be." 

Terry ran a hand through his hair. "We can't hide out in your room for the next four days, either." 

Simon crossed his arms. 

"What's got you so nervous all of a sudden, anyway? You seemed fine earlier, after we had gone out." 

"Talking with the Colonel." 

Terry blinked. "The marine? What's so spooky about him?" 

Simon gave him an incredulous look. "You're not scared of him?" 

Terry tilted his head. "Should I be?" 

Simon nodded. "Yes. Everyone's scared of the Colonel." 

Terry leaned back in his chair. "And why is that?" 

Simon thought for a minute. "He's just...intimidating." 

"Simon, how many people intimidate me?" 

Simon remained silent for a moment. "Okay, so you're not afraid of most intimidating people. But even you should have some sort of fear from the Colonel." 

Terry rubbed his forehead. "He doesn't. Intimidation doesn't work on my family. If it did, do you think my mom would be so outspoken, or I'd be able to strongly defend my orientation? Jordon doesn't like teachers who use intimidation so much that he once reduced one to tears. Intimidation is not something we tolerate." Terry chuckled. "It's something we may use from time to time, but not something that can be used on us." 

Simon sighed. _Figures._ "I guess having a reporter for a mother would have that effect." 

"No kidding. She can't ever back down. She taught us that backing down is like showing fear. You never want to do it." 

"Well, I'm still afraid of him." 

"You should be the one to tell them, though." 

Simon opened his mouth to reply, when someone knocked on his door. Glancing at Terry, he looked back at the door. "Come in?" 

Hank opened the door. "We wondered where you disappeared to." He stepped in, followed by Julie. "Everything okay?" 

Julie closed the door and looked between the two teens. "Something you want to tell us?" 

Terry locked eyes with Simon. _Tell them, Simon. We have to start somewhere._

Simon swallowed. "Aunt Julie, Hank, would you...take a seat. There is something I...we've been meaning to tell you." 

Terry stood and walked behind Simon, squeezing his shoulder for comfort. 

Julie and Hank sat on Simon's bed. "Are you in some sort of trouble?" Julie took her husband's hand. "Is that what's going on?" 

"No, not really. Um," Simon rubbed the back of his head, "well, you've known me all my life, and you know me pretty well. But, I've...changed." 

Hank scratched his chest. "How so?" 

Simon opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. 

Julie leaned forward. "Simon?" 

Simon gave Terry a pleading look. 

Terry stroked Simon's head. _Alright, alright._ He looked at the couple on the bed. "We're gay. Simon's my boyfriend." 

Julie blinked slowly, while Hank stared at Terry. 

Simon reached up and squeezed the hand resting on his shoulder. "I...I've been going out with Terry almost a year, now. At first I wasn't sure, but now I know that I'm gay...and I love Terry." 

Terry smiled down at Simon. 

Simon, however, was not smiling, and was watching the two adults on the bed. "Aunt Julie? Uncle Hank? Are you two okay?" Simon waved a hand in front of them. 

Hank snapped out of his shock first and sat back. "Well...that is...um...certainly...interesting." 

"You're gay?" Julie stood up. "And Eric just allowed this?" 

"Not really. It took him a while to adjust to the idea. It took them all a while." Terry rested his hands on the back of Simon's chair. "We felt, though, that it was time to come out completely, and the best way to do that is to start with the family. That's why we're telling you." 

"Well, this is just great. Some Thanksgiving this is going to be. Dad is going to blow his top!"  
"Julie," Hank tried to calm down his wife. 

"Come on, Hank. I don't want to be here when the fireworks go off. And Simon," Julie paused and looked her nephew, unsure of what to say, "I wish you the best." She went out of the room. 

Hank gave Terry a strange look, before following his wife. 

Simon sighed and slumped forward. "That went well." 

"It could've gone a whole lot worse." 

"Can we call it an evening, now?" 

"No. We have to tell your grandparents, and better now than tomorrow." Terry pursed his lips. "If it would make you feel any better, I'll ask your parents if you can stay over tonight, to ease tensions here." 

Simon nodded. "That'd be a big help." 

"You go tell your grandparents, I'll go talk to your parents. Right now. Deal?" 

Simon stood up and took a deep breath. "Right." 

Terry kissed Simon briefly. "Hey, they'll adjust. Just like your immediate family. What we see is the surprised reaction. Give it time and they'll treat you as they always have." 

Simon smiled weakly. "Right." He walked out of his room. 

_I'll be there to help you when I can._ Terry followed. _I know you can tell them, Simon. You've grown strong over the year.  
_~*()*~ 

Terry found Annie in the kitchen finishing up the dishes with her husband, both of them looking at the door. 

Annie noticed Terry first. "Terry, do you know what's going on?" 

Terry blinked at Annie. "Pardon?" 

"Hank and Julie just left, and apologized for not being able to come tomorrow night." Eric stood by his wife. "What happened?" 

Terry sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't think they wouldn't want to be around you because they found out." 

Annie uncrossed her arms. "Wait a minute, you told them?" 

Terry nodded. "They were in Simon's room, and it just seemed like as good a time as any." 

"Where's Simon?" Eric looked at the stairs behind Terry. "Please tell me he's in his room." 

"Not really. See, he was wondering if you would let him stay over at my place tonight, to give everyone a chance to adjust." 

"Well, that does make sense..." Annie rested against the counter. 

"You're WHAT?!" 

Terry winced at the Colonel's voice. "That sounds like it's going well." 

Eric let out a weak laugh. "Simon...he's not...he didn't just tell-" 

Terry nodded. "Yeah. Think I should...go help him?" 

"Yes" 

Terry jumped at their unanimous response. "Right." He hurried for the living room. 

"You are not gay." 

_That sounds familiar._ Simon stood a little straighter. "Colonel, I've already had this discussion, with myself and my parents. I thought about it for a long time, and the truth is," he paused as Terry entered the room, "the truth is, I love Terry." 

Terry looked around the room. _If looks could kill._ The Colonel was the most angered, while Ruth and Ginger appeared to be in shock. Strangely enough, Annie's father, Charles, had a rather calm look. 

"Charles, say something." 

Charles blinked and looked at the Colonel. "What should I say? It's obvious he's made up his mind." He turned towards Simon. "Congratulations. I hope you're happy." 

Simon wasn't sure how to take that. "Um, thanks." 

Terry raised his eyebrows. _That's a surprise._

The Colonel shook his head and paid attention to Simon again. "You're young. You can't know if you're gay or not." 

"I'm becoming a man, Colonel. I'm growing up, like Matt grew up. I'm old enough to know that I'm gay, and nothing is going to change it." 

Terry nodded at Eric and Annie as they entered. _Here comes the calvary._

__Lucy spoke up as well. "Grandma Ruth, Colonel, Simon's still Simon. So he's gay. We came to accept it because we love Simon, and being gay doesn't change who he is, just who he loves." 

"Eric, how could you allow this to happen?" 

"I didn't allow it. It's just, how Simon is." 

"And it came down to choosing our son or the ideals society has." Annie looked over at Simon. "Our son won out, and will always win out." 

"I don't believe this. Come on, Ruth." 

Ruth stood and went to get her coat. 

"Dad." Eric stepped forward. 

"Don't try to stop us, son. If you want to have this person as part of your family, that's fine, but don't expect us to be a part of it." The Colonel followed his wife out of the room. 

"Dad, mom," Eric hurried after his parents. 

Annie looked at Terry and Simon a moment before going after her husband. 

Simon's shoulders slumped. "Great." 

"Well, who's up for dessert?" 

Everyone looked at Charles. 

Charles met their gazes. "What?" 

Simon shook his head, grabbed Terry's arm and headed for the door. "Time to go. We'll be back tomorrow." 

Terry shrugged and followed his boyfriend.   
~*()*~ 

Simon blinked and felt around the bed. _Terry?_ Pushing himself up, he blearily examined the room. _Where'd he go?_ Yawning, he got out of bed and went into the hall. He heard some sounds from the guest bedroom, and went in, finding Terry sitting at the computer playing a game. "Terry?" 

Terry didn't take his eyes off the screen. "You're up early." 

Simon sat on the bed in the room. "What time is it?" 

"One in the morning. You should try to get more sleep." 

"I can't." Simon rested his hands on his arms. He felt his ears get warm. "You're not in bed with me." 

Terry smiled softly at the screen. "Sorry. Thanksgiving tradition took precedence." 

"What tradition?" 

"The yearly kicking of Jordon's ass at a computer game." 

Simon rubbed his eyes. "Why?" 

"Because it's fun." Terry typed something, then paused the game. He turned in his seat and walked over, tightening his robe belt. 

Simon watched Terry sit down next to him. "I need you tonight, though. What happened at our house..." 

Terry put an arm around Simon's shoulders and hugged him. "I know, I know." He rested his head against Simon's. "They'll come around, though." 

"The Colonel doesn't change his mind on things, though." 

"I'm sure he does, more than you think." 

Simon shook his head slightly. "I don't think he does." 

"Whatever the truth, don't worry about it right now. Have faith it'll all work out." 

"I'm trying, I really am." Simon sighed. "But it's getting harder and harder. I've ruined Thanksgiving. I don't even know what we have to be thankful for." 

"There's plenty to be thankful for, Simon. I'm thankful I'm still with you." Terry kissed Simon's forehead. 

Simon closed his eyes. "Ditto. But," he pulled away and sat up, "alienating my family, ruining their holiday, it feels like there's not much to be thankful for. There might be plenty, but it doesn't feel like it." 

Terry ran his hand through Simon's hair. "Maybe things will work out." 

"In one night? I doubt it." 

"Never doubt faith, just trust it." Terry patted the bed. "Now, how about you sleep in here, and after I finish, I'll join you." 

Simon yawned and nodded. "Alright." 

Terry kissed Simon. "I love you." 

Simon kissed him back briefly. "I love you too." He chuckled. "Even with your horrible breath." 

"Like yours is any better at this hour." Terry pushed Simon down. "I'll be with you in an hour or so." 

Simon pulled the covers back and crawled into bed. 

Terry went back to the chair and glanced back at his boyfriend, noting that Simon had already fallen back asleep. He faced the computer and continued the game. 

**You going to do anything about Eric's family?**

Terry glanced at his resources, before taking the time to reply to his brother's message. **Yeah. Faith helps, but sometimes it needs a little nudge.**

**Try not to make the situation worse.**

**Would I do that? By the by, watch your back. I'm coming for you.**

**Like I'll fall for--KISAMA!**

Terry smirked. _I'm good._

~*()*~ 

"Simon, time to wake up." 

Simon blinked and looked up. "Mom? What're you doing at Terry's?" 

"You don't remember?" Annie stood up. 

Simon looked around. _I'm in my room? But...how?_ "What am I doing here?" He pushed himself up onto his elbows. 

"Terry brought you over earlier this morning. He had to run errands and didn't want to leave you alone at his house." 

_Errands? On Thanksgiving?_ Simon scratched his head. "Is he still coming to dinner?" 

"Yes. Grandpa's here. He and Ginger want to talk to you." She patted his leg. "Shower and go see them." 

"What about Aunt Julie and the Colonel?" 

Annie sighed and headed for the door. "It's up to them whether they show up or not. I have a feeling they won't, though." She left. 

Simon hung his head. _So I really did ruin Thanksgiving for everyone. At least I don't have to hide the truth from them any more._ He tossed his covers aside and grabbed his robe. _I don't even remember Terry bringing me over. Guess I was more tired than I thought._   
~*()*~ 

"Hey, Julie, Hank. I was wondering if we could talk?" 

"I don't really think that's a good idea." Julie crossed her arms. 

Terry put a hand on the door. "It'll only take a minute. And if Simon could give you another chance, don't you think you owe him another one?" 

Hank glanced at his wife. 

Julie looked to the sky. "Fine. Just a for a minute." 

Terry nodded and went inside. "Thanks."  
~*()*~ 

"I just don't get why you're so understanding." Simon folded his hands together, balancing himself on the edge of the living room chair. "I would've thought you and Ginger would be upset about me being gay." 

"To be honest, Ginger and I have been wondering about you for a while. I always thought there was something off about you." 

Simon's raised his eyebrows. "You have?" 

Ginger nodded. "Of course. There were little hints here and there, but we weren't sure." 

Simon rubbed his eyes. "And the fact I'm gay, that you were right, doesn't bother you?" 

"Not really. I mean, I fell in love with Ginger, and heaven knows how much disapproval that got initially." 

Simon scoffed. _That's an understatement. Mom went nuts._

"So you fell in love, it just wasn't who you or your family expected. Love comes when it comes."  
Simon sighed through his nose. "I wish you could explain that to the Colonel and Aunt Julie." 

"Well, we will tonight." Ginger looked at her husband. "We'll just pull them aside before dinner." 

Simon winced. "Ah, well, um, Aunt Julie and Hank won't be coming. And I don't think the Colonel is coming back, either." 

"Hogwash." Charles patted his knees. "They'll be here. They wouldn't let something like this ruin Thanksgiving." 

_I don't think you know them as well as I do. And news like this really disrupts the family._ Simon leaned back in the chair. 

"So, a male model. Does he have a mind to match his looks?" 

Simon laughed. "Yeah, he does. More than you know." 

"Is he involved in your school?" 

"For the first time, yeah. Last year he was too busy with his classes, but this year," Simon tilted his head a moment, "let's see. He joined the student court, and proposed something to the student council. I'm not sure what, but it's some sort of fund raiser, I think." He closed his eyes. 

"So he's a keeper?" 

Simon opened his eyes and looked at his grandfather. "I'm never letting him go. I love him." 

Ginger squeezed Charles' hand. "Then that's the thing to do." 

Simon glanced at the clock. "I'm going to go see if mom needs help in the kitchen. Can we talk more tomorrow?" 

"Of course! And bring your boyfriend along." 

Simon smiled. "I will." He walked towards the kitchen. _I'm glad someone understands. Still, they thought I was gay before I even suspected it? Wonder what gave them that idea..._

~*()*~ 

"Oh, it's you. What do you want." 

Terry raised an eyebrow. _This one's going to be a little tougher to deal with._ "I know I'm probably the last person you want to see." 

"So why are you here." 

"I want to talk." 

"We have nothing to say." 

_You're not getting away that easily._ Terry crossed his arms. "What's wrong? Afraid of the truth? You're a marine. I thought you people weren't afraid of anything." 

"I'm not." 

"Yet you're scared to talk to me." 

The Colonel ground his teeth together. 

"Just a minute of your time." 

The Colonel stared past Terry a moment, then stepped back. "Fine. Come in. Speak." 

Terry walked by the ex-marine. _Hit them in the pride. Always works._

~*()*~ 

"Hey, looking sexy." 

Simon blinked, then blushed. He was wearing his dress jeans and a crimson-collared shirt. "You look good too." 

Terry, grinning, had his hands in his pockets and was leaning against the wall facing the staircase. He was wearing khakis and a white polo shirt, its top buttons completely undone. "Glad I came when I did. A minute later and I'd have missed your entrance." 

Simon walked over and stood next to Terry. "I'm glad I changed and came down when I did." 

Terry brought his hands out and pulled Simon close, kissing him. 

Simon closed his eyes and kissed back, wrapping his arms around Terry's waist. _I love him, but I really like this. He's a great kisser._

Terry pulled his head away. "Happy Thanksgiving." 

"Not much to be happy about." 

Terry kissed Simon's nose. "We've been over that. Let's not revisit the subject. Just enjoy the holiday." 

Simon sighed and nodded. 

"So where were you going before I distracted you?" 

"Oh. I was going to join dad and the other guys in the living room and see how the game's doing." 

Terry blinked. "Game?" 

Simon chuckled. "Yeah, you know, the game. The football game." 

Terry tilted his head. "I didn't know football was played on Thanksgiving." 

"You're kidding." 

Terry shook his head. "I've always been cooking, playing games with aniki, or reading. The television never went on unless there was a movie we felt like watching." 

"Why?" Simon let go of Terry and headed for the living room. 

Terry followed. "Well, my sensei was usually around, so he kept us busy. And in the last few years I'm the one who cooked, so I didn't have time." He glanced at the screen. "I never really got the game, anyway." 

"How can you not get football?" Charles glanced over his shoulder. 

Simon took a seat in the rocking chair. "I guess if you were busy." 

"Being gay was probably part of the problem." 

"Kevin..." Eric gave Lucy's future fiancé a warning look. 

Kevin settled further into his chair, a frown on his face. 

Ben simply munched on some popcorn, ignoring the male model. 

"You want to join us?" Simon glanced at the couch facing away from the television. "There's room." 

Terry waved a hand. "I'll go see if Annie needs me to watch the twins or something. Or maybe there's something left to cook. Beating Jordon was fun, but I miss dealing with the food in the kitchen. I always looked forward to cooking something new for the dinner." Terry tapped his hands together. "Catch you guys later." He walked out and headed for the kitchen. 

Eric gave Simon a questioning look. "Beating Jordon?" 

Simon shook his head. "Don't ask."  
~*()*~ 

"This must be the biggest Thanksgiving dinner I've ever attended." 

Annie patted Terry's back. "Enjoy it while you can. Once the Camden brood descends upon this room, it'll be gone before you can blink your eye." 

Terry laughed. "Sounds like Jordon. He has a metabolism you wouldn't believe." 

Eric entered the room, followed by the rest of the male portion of the family. "Looks great, Annie." 

Annie smiled, but tilted her head when the doorbell rang. "Who could that be?" 

"I'll get it." Simon turned and went back out the door. 

Kevin found his name and rested his hands on the chair. "Shall we take our seats?" 

"Of course." Annie checked the twins one last moment before sitting in her own seat. 

While the others took their seats, Terry remained standing, watching the door that led to the hall. 

"Terry?" Charles tilted his head. "Something wrong?" 

Simon reentered at that moment. "Um, look who's here." He stepped aside. 

The Colonel walked in, followed by Ruth, Julie, and Hank. 

Eric stood slightly. "Dad. Glad you could make it." 

The Colonel glanced at Terry, before aheming. "Well, it'd be inappropriate for there to be a Thanksgiving dinner without the patriarch cutting the turkey." 

Terry looked at the ceiling. 

Simon walked over and stood by Terry. "How'd you-" 

Terry took Simon's hand and squeezed it. "Later." 

Julie stepped forward. "So...is there room for four more?" 

"Of course. There's always room for family." Annie stood and went to get more plates from the kitchen. 

Terry walked to the table and sat. 

Simon followed and sat next to him. _I don't know what you did, Terry, but thanks._

Annie returned and set the places for the four new comers, before taking her seat again. 

Lucy glanced at her father. "Well?" 

Eric leaned forward. "Well what?" 

"Aren't you going to say a prayer, to say thanks?" 

All eyes turned to Eric. 

Eric felt slightly uncomfortable, and didn't answer. 

Simon looked around. "If...no one minds, I could do the thanks." 

Terry took Simon's hand under the table and smiled. _That's brave of you. _

When no one voiced an objection, Simon bowed his head and closed his eyes. "Dear Lord, we give thanks on this day for many things. For this food we're about to receive, for providing us shelter, good health, for life in general." He licked his lips. "I'd also like thank you for giving us love, and someone to share it with. Thank you for helping me find my true self, for allowing my family to be so understanding." 

The Colonel and Ruth exchanged glances, while Julie sighed. 

"And finally, thank you for faith. Faith in ourselves, faith in each other, and faith in you. Without it," Simon hesitated. 

Eric looked at his wife. 

"Without it, life would be unbearable." _Best I could come up with. I couldn't say life would suck. _"We'll always be thankful, for everything. Amen." 

"Amen." 

Terry noticed no one was touching their food yet. _Guess they're all giving a silent thanks to something in their life._ He smiled at Simon. _You did a good job, Simon. This isn't going to be so hard for us after all._ He heard his stomach rumble. "Itadakimasu." He picked up his fork. 

Simon laughed. "Yeah. Let's eat." 

The others in the room agreed, and they began on the feast. 

~*()*~ 

"How'd you do it?" 

Terry set his book down and looked up from Simon's bed. "What makes you think I did anything?" 

Simon sat next to his boyfriend. "It was pretty obvious." He looked around his room. "Why aren't you hanging out downstairs with everyone?" 

"I wanted to give them a chance to talk to you alone." 

Simon shrugged. "So how'd you do it?" 

Terry smiled and picked his book up. "I did nothing extraordinary. I just talked with them." 

"About?" 

"About stuff." 

Simon grabbed the book. "Come on, Terry. Be serious." 

"Why? It worked, and what does it matter how it came about. I wanted to keep your family's Thanksgiving together." 

"What'd you tell them, though?" Simon brought a leg up on the bed and rested an arm on it. 

Terry leaned back and rested on his elbows. "Your Aunt Julie was relatively easy to talk to. You gave her a second chance, I just convinced her you deserved one as well." 

Simon rubbed the back of his neck. He was older and bigger, but the memory of his aunt assaulting him still scared him. It had taken a lot to trust her again. "And the Colonel and Grandma Ruth?" 

Terry squinted a moment. "That...took a bit more effort. If he doesn't speak to me for a while, don't be offended. I...kinda insulted him to get him motivated. But I think he'll at least make an attempt to accept you, and eventually me as well." 

Simon rubbed Terry's ankle. He remained silent a moment. "Thanks. That...was probably more difficult than it sounds. And thanks for putting the dinner back together." 

"I didn't do anything. It was still up to them to show up. I just gave them some things to think about before making their final decision." Terry sat back up. "Thank you, too." 

"Me? I didn't do anything." 

"You invited me to your house so I wouldn't be alone, you introduced me to your entire family, and you stood up not only for yourself, but for us." Terry scooted over, nudging Simon's leg off the bed so he could be next to the blond teen. "So, thank you." 

Simon reached over and ran his hand through Terry's sandy hair. "You're welcome. You were right. We have a lot to be thankful for." He leaned forward and kissed Terry. 

Terry pulled back slightly. "Most of all, each other." He continued the lip-lock. 

Lucy watched them from the door, before shutting it quietly. _Thanks for giving Simon someone so strong, Lord. And thanks for helping all of us understand both of them._ She walked over to the stairs and headed for the living room, to tell the family Simon would be detained for a few minutes, at least. 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Kisama: rude form of "you" 

Itadakimasu: thanks for the food, let's eat 

Aniki: older brother 

Author's Prattle: Here we are, the big chapter when Simon comes out to the rest of the family. I'm sorry if you wanted more of the Colonel, Charles, all of them, but this fic isn't about them, and it was actually very difficult for me to work out their characters. I apologize if any of them weren't completely in character. I also want to apologize for making this a bit of a sappy chapter. I didn't mean for it to turn out that way, but that's what happened. 

The next chapter after this was formally called the "Spoiler" chapter, Christmas Special. I have revised and reposted it to fit the timeline, and it is now chapter twenty-two. So for those of you who were able to resist tempation, you may not go ahead and read the next chapter! A Camden Christmas (no, that's not really the title, but it'd make a good one, ne?). 

Again, I mean no offense to anyone. I try to portray it as close to how it would happen in the life of the show. To any of you who dislike Thanksgiving, my portrayal of it, large family gatherings in general, the praying, etc., this is the general apology. 

General disclaimer time. I don't own 7th Heaven or any of its characters or settings. Nor do I own the sons Terry was singing. They belong to their respective Japanese affiliates. The first was "Lonely Moon" from Tenchi Muyo! (Pioneer), the second was "24" from Card Captor Sakura (CLAMP), and the third was "Come, Sweet Death" from The End of Evangelion movie (GIANAX). All full lyrics can be found at Animelyrics.com. 

As I have already shown that italics is thought, the bold-faced type in the chapter is computer messages exchanged. I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, and as always, reviews are welcome! 


	22. Kimi ne Merry Christmas

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

Chapter Twenty-Two: Kimi ne Merry Christmas 

"What do you mean you can't make it?" 

"I'm sorry, but you know Japanese schools run on a different time schedule. By the time I got over, I'd only have about a day to spend with you before I had to fly back. Besides, as an incoming graduate, I need to be early for orientation." 

Terry leaned back on the couch, draping an arm over his forehead. "Aniki, please? We've always spent Christmas together. Even your two years in Japan you flew out." 

"The younger school systems get a little more time off. I'm sorry, I really can't." 

"Fine. I'll ship your present tomorrow. And say hi to Amber for me." 

"Hai hai. Happy holidays, little bro." 

"Kimi ni Merry Christmas." Terry turned off his phone and tossed it onto the table. "Damn it. I was so looking forward to having him visit." Closing his eyes, Terry leaned his head back. "Now what'll I do for Christmas?"  
~*()*~ 

"Matt! Sarah!" Simon waved his arm. "Over here." 

"Hey there." Matt hugged his little brother. "You been waiting long? Where's everyone else?" 

Sarah looked around as well. "Yeah, I mean, where are my parents?" 

Simon raised an eyebrow. "What? I'm not good enough for you?" 

"No, you're not." Matt rubbed Simon's head. "Seriously, where's everyone?" 

"They're dealing with holiday stuff or watching the younger kids. Mom thought I'd like to pick up my favorite older brother." Simon shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. "Of course, if you'd rather I leave and get dad-" 

Matt pulled Simon over and hugged him again. "Fine, fine. You made your point." He smirked and noogied Simon. 

"Hey!" Simon pulled away and fixed his hair. "After I cleaned my room for you two, too." 

Sarah and Matt exchanged glances. 

"You mean that tiny bed for the two of us?" 

Sarah rubbed her head. "Maybe we should book a hotel." 

"At this time? They'll all be booked, even in Glen Oak." Matt shook his head. 

Simon crossed his arms. "So are we going to get your bags or what?" 

"Alright. Let's go." Sarah took off. 

Simon grabbed Matt's arm and pulled him back a bit. He spoke in a whisper. "Hey Matt?" 

"Yeah?" Matt lowered his voice as well. 

"Does she know about...you know?" 

Matt sighed and put an arm around his brother's shoulders and followed his wife, Simon at his side. "It's the holidays, Simon. Does it really matter who knows what?" 

"You haven't told her?" Simon stepped away and stared at his brother. "Why not?" 

Matt stumbled in his walking and pulled his arm away. "Yeah, well," he coughed, "you see, it just never came up." Matt shrugged sheepishly. "Besides, I want to explain it to her, like Terry did." 

Simon grumbled and scowled. "Some brother." 

"Hey now, give me a break. Tell you what, why don't you we both tell her with Terry while we're here. Maybe he can smooth things out." 

"That'd be great except Terry said he'd be with his brother all season." Simon nodded to Sarah. "We'd better catch up." He looked towards the wall a moment. "We'll talk later, alright?" 

"Alright. Oh, out of curiosity, where's Robbie?" 

"He came back for the holiday and currently helping mom by making a fancy 'welcome home' dinner for you. Sarah's parents are coming to the dinner too." 

"Oh boy."  
~*()*~ 

Lucy looked up from the game of Candyland she was playing with the twins as the doorbell rang. "Could somebody get that?" 

Robbie had his elbows buried in some sort of cookie dough. "Would you mind..." 

Lucy glanced at the twins before going to the front door and opening it. "Terry, what're you doing here?" 

Terry offered a strained grin at Lucy and nodded. "I come bearing gifts." Nudging the door open a bit more with his foot, he picked up a cooler from beside the door and carried it in. 

Lucy frowned and followed Terry into the kitchen. "You didn't have to bake for us." 

Robbie, still working on the dough, just watched as Terry set the cooler down and began unloading its contents onto the table. "What's with the food?" 

"I figured with the extra holiday cooking, you could use a few extra groceries. Besides, the food shelter wouldn't take these as donations. I guess I already stuffed their fridge." 

Lucy helped unpack the cooler. "So why're you giving us all this food? I thought you wanted leftovers for your brother to take home." 

Terry sat in a kitchen chair as he finished and looked at the ceiling. "Well, as wonderful as that would be, unfortunately, he can't come. So I had to unload all the food I bought or else it would go bad." 

"I'm sorry." Lucy sat next to Terry and patted his arm. "You going to be okay? What're you going to do?" 

Terry shrugged. "I made reservations at a nice restaurant. I'll have dinner out and go home." He leaned his head from side to side, stretching his neck. 

"You'll do nothing of the sort." 

Terry paused and eyed Lucy. "Excuse me?" 

Lucy nodded. "Alone over the Christmas holiday? You're practically family. You can eat here." 

"Luce-" 

"And we won't take no for an answer. We can make room for one more person, and Simon would love to have his boyfriend here." 

Terry glanced at Robbie for a moment before letting out a breath through his nose. "Alright. If you insist." 

Lucy nodded. 

Robbie pulled his hands out of the dough and started washing them. "Alright, I'm ready for the twins to come and help." 

"Twins...twins!" Lucy shot out of her chair and hurried for the living room. 

Terry shook his head. "I'd best get going. I still have winter homework." He headed for the door. "Luce, when's dinner?" 

"Oh, be here around five." 

"Thanks. Ja ne." Terry left the house. 

~*()*~ 

"You're coming over for dinner tonight?" 

"Yeah. Is it casual or formal? I don't want to show up in jeans when everyone else is dressed nicely." 

Simon looked at his door. "You do know the Glass' don't know about us, right?" 

"I thought Matt said he'd tell Sarah, who'd tell her parents." 

"Matt said. What he did, though..." 

"Oh no." Terry rubbed his forehead. "Well, we'll just have to be discreet, that's all. And since when do Jews celebrate Christmas?" 

Simon switched the phone over to his right ear, leaning back on his bed. "It's just tonight. They're not taking part in the Christmas services or anything. And Sarah's coming-" 

"Because of Matt." Terry pulled out a shirt from his closet and examined it. "By the by, where are Matt and Sarah staying? Sarah's house? It's certainly big enough." 

"Actually, at our house because of the Christmas stuff. But Matt's worried the bed won't be big enough for both of them, so they're looking for a room at a hotel." Simon looked at his watch. "They should be back soon, actually." 

"Why not have them stay here?" 

Simon blinked. "Excuse me?" 

"Heaven knows I've got the room. And if they're truly worried my brother's bed won't be big enough, I have two rooms." 

It was Simon's turn to rub his forehead. "Terry, didn't you hear me? Sarah doesn't know-" 

"We're gay, yeah, I heard you. But until you told your family, they didn't suspect a thing. Besides, I live close enough that staying late won't be an inconvenience, and it is awfully lonely all alone." 

Simon sighed. "Terry, are you sure?" 

"Just offer it to them. It's free room and board, what every college student dreams of." 

"Alright, alright. But don't push them into it if they say no, alright?" 

"I won't." Terry went silent a moment. "Well?"  
"Well what?" 

"Is it formal or casual?" 

Simon hung his head. "Oh yeah. Uh, I don't know. I guess anything you come in will be fine. The real formal dinner is Christmas Eve." 

"Alright. So how do the presents go at your house?" 

"Well, we each choose someone out of a hat, and just give a gift to that one person. Oh, and because of the church, we open them Christmas Eve." 

"So I should bring my gifts Christmas Eve?" Terry looked through his closet, pulling out another shirt. 

"You didn't buy something for everyone, did you?" 

Terry paused. "Yes, why?" 

"Well, we're not too much on giving a gift to each person. I mean, in a family as large as ours..." 

"I get it Simon. Don't worry, it's not as bad as you think." Terry looked between the two shirts. "But I think you'll want Sarah out of the room for your gift. Either that, or we tell her before then." 

"Gotcha." Simon tilted his head as he heard voices coming up the stairs. _Matt and Sarah are back._ "I gotta go." 

"See you at five." Terry hung up. "Ara ara, the Camdens certainly have made my life interesting. 

Simon hung up as well as Matt entered the room. "Any luck?" 

"Not a single place has a room." Matt eyed Simon's bed. "Now I see why mom and dad resented staying in my room whenever the Colonel and Ruth visited." 

Simon tapped the phone against his chin. "What if I told you I knew of a place you could stay that, even if the bed's too small, there's two of them?" 

Matt crossed his arms. "I'd ask what you drank to induce such an illusion. We've checked everywhere. There's not a place available." 

Simon crossed his arms as well. "What I drank?" Ever since his little incident earlier in the year, he had been a bit touchy with alcohol jokes. 

"Sorry. So where's this miracle place?" 

"Terry's house."  
Matt blinked, then blinked again. "Is this a joke?"  
Simon shook his head. "I was just talking to him. He said if you want to stay in Jordon's room, or both Jordon's and the guest room, that's fine. He's got the space, and it's free." 

"Are you nuts Simon? Sarah doesn't know that he's-" 

"That he's what?" Sarah leaned against the doorway and looked at her husband. "I don't know that he's...?" 

"A...um...a model. He's a male model." 

Sarah smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Matt, just because he's a model doesn't mean I'll be attracted to him. I am married to you, after all." 

"Still, he's very attractive. I just don't think it's a good idea for us to stay at his house." Matt glanced at Simon. _That and Terry might let out his true feelings about Simon._

"Where does he live, Simon?" She looked at the blond Camden. 

Simon looked at Matt a moment. "Well, he lives about five minutes away from here. I think his brother's car is still here too, so you could borrow it, I'm sure." 

Matt shook his head at Simon. 

Simon faced Sarah. _Sorry bro, but maybe if you're at Terry's house it'll be easier for all of us to tell her. _"He's got a really nice house. I'm sure you'd be comfortable." 

"Why don't we check it out, Matt? It's better than staying at my parents' house." 

Matt winced. _Damn. She's right about that._ He sighed. "Fine." He pointed at Simon. "You're coming too, though." 

Simon pulled back. "Me? Why?" 

"To make introductions, of course." Matt stood in the doorway as Sarah headed for the stairs. 

Simon grabbed a jacket and got up. "Fine." _I'll get to talk to Terry, at least. Maybe we can make a plan on how to tell her._

~*()*~ 

"Hora mune ni Ding Dong, hibiku yo shiawase no kane ga, anata ni mo kikoeru deshou, Yorokobi no Carol." Terry finished washing his dishes in time to hear the doorbell. "Coming!" Setting a towel down, he continued to hum the tune he had been singing to himself. _Man I miss aniki. He always sang with me. The only time he ever did other than when he was drunk._ He opened the door and smiled. "Happy holidays." He stepped aside. "Come on in. I've been expecting you." 

Simon stepped in. "Hey, sorry for just showing up without calling." 

Terry waved his hand. "No prob." He hugged Matt. "Good to see you again." 

Matt tensed, unsure of how to react. Before he could, though, Terry released him and went about shaking Sarah's hand. 

"Pleasure to meet you again. As you're Matt's wife, you can call me Terry." 

"It's good to meet you, Terry." She gave Matt and curious look. "What's wrong with staying here? He seems perfectly nice. And he's not as handsome as you." 

_Good way to defend your position to stay._ Terry sat on his couch, motioning that the other three should do the same. "So, if you two want, you're welcome to stay in my brother's room or in the guest room, or both if you feel the bed's too small in either case." 

"Cut right to the chase, don't you?" Matt sat and put an arm around Sarah's shoulders. 

Terry shrugged. "We'll have plenty of time to catch up during and after dinner. We only have an hour until the meal, so I figure we should get things finished now." 

"Where are the rooms?" Sarah looked around. 

Simon stood up. "I'll show you." He left with Sarah in tow. 

Matt shifted forward to and looked at the hall door, then to Terry. "She doesn't-" 

"Simon told me. I can keep a secret." The smile on Terry's face vanished. "But it hurt him you didn't tell. I could sense it in his voice." 

"You could sense it in his voice?" Matt crossed his arms. 

Terry nodded. "I'm very good about reading the ones I love. It's the same with aniki. I can tell how he feels just by how he breathes. " Terry leaned forward as well and looked Matt in the eye. "If you don't tell her, I will. But you and I both know Simon would rather you tell her." 

"Why? As long as she finds out-" 

"And you call yourself an older brother." Terry rested his arms on his knees. "By not telling her yourself, he thinks you're ashamed of him and of who he is." 

"That's ridiculous." 

Terry leaned back. "Imagine yourself in Simon's shoes for a moment, and reevaluate that opinion." 

"So that's them. What do you think?" Simon came back into the living room. 

Terry pasted a smile on his face and looked at the hallway door. "Is it satisfactory?" 

"It looks fine. Why don't we stay here, Matt? It's close enough to both houses that we can go to either quickly." 

Matt stared at Terry, deciding something in his mind. Finally, he looked over at his wife. "Yeah, that'll be fine. I'll go get our bags." He stood and headed for the door, glancing at Simon's face as he turned. 

Sarah walked over to Terry, frowning. "Is something going on between you and Matt?" 

"Just some verbal sparing. He really shouldn't with me. My brother's been training me for years." He looked at Simon, who sat on the other couch. "So, give me your opinion." He waved over his body. "Too casual?" 

Simon blinked and took in Terry's clothes. He was wearing black jeans and a black shirt, though the shirt had a bold blue stripe going around his upper torso and arms. Simon swallowed. _He really can make anything look good._ "Y-yeah, that looks fine." 

"Great. I modeled it for a while, among other clothes, to see which got the strongest public reaction. Guess this one's still got it." 

_Only on you._ Simon shook his head and stood. "I'll...go help Matt." He hurried out the door. 

Sarah looked at Terry, then where Simon sat. _Hmm..._

__~*()*~ 

"You look great." 

"You said that at my house already." Terry crossed his arms. "This is just a casual dinner, though. Nothing fancy, right? I mean, we don't have to deal with any Jewish customs, do we? I haven't studied those so I wouldn't know how to act." 

Simon blinked. He leaned back on his bed, thinking. _That hour passed in no time. I was hoping for at least a quick kiss or something before we really had to act like we're just friends._ "Well, we never actually studied Jewish customs in detail. We just went along with whatever Sarah and her family told us to do." 

"You didn't?" Terry pulled out the chair from Simon's desk and sat on it. "My sensei wouldn't have let me meet with a family with customs until I read about them and memorized every custom to make sure I didn't make a cultural taboo." 

"He sounds like a harsh teacher." Simon shook his head. "I don't know if I could've handled an at-home teacher." 

"It wasn't nearly as bad as it sounds. He was actually more like a father than my own dad." Terry stared off to the side. "We even spent the holidays together. He was like family..." 

_"Kaji-sensei! Kaji-sensei!" A young Terry Dax ran to a man hidden in shadows. "Kaji-senei, what are you doing out here? We're about to have Christmas dinner?"_

_"I was just thinking, Dax-san." The shadowed man looked into a fireplace. Next to it, a window showed that it was snowing outside. "I was just thinking of my wife."_

_"Your wife, sensei? Is she coming for Christmas?" The young boy looked out the window, watching the snow fall. _

_"Iie. She passed away before I came to tutor you. But I was thinking how she loved snowing days, especially around Christmas." _

_Terry looked at the man. "Sensei...are you lonely?"_

_The shadow smiled. "Not any more, no. Thanks to you and your family, I have new people to be happy with." He stood. "Now then, what was that about dinner?"_

_"Oh, we're about to have it." Terry walked away from the window and headed for the doorway. Resting a hand on the wall, he glanced back. "Sensei? I'm sure she's watching you. Aniki says that after people die, on special occasions, like Halloween or Christmas or Easter, they return to Earth to watch over the ones they love. So even if you can't see her, she's here to keep you company."_

_The man walked over and patted Terry's shoulder. "Your brother is wise, for one raised the American way." He looked down at Terry. "Remember, Dax-san."_

_"Hmm?"_

_"Remember that what your aniki said might be true, but one should not be lonely on Christmas. A person needs those they love around them, in spirit and in body."_

_Terry tilted his head. "Hai, sensei."  
_"Terry?" 

Terry blinked and smiled at Simon. "Gomen, I was thinking about my sensei." He rested his chin on the back of his hands. "He was right, you know." 

"Right about what?" 

"That a person needs those they love around them, in spirit and in body, at Christmas." Terry closed his eyes. "Thank you, Simon, for having me over for Christmas. It means a lot, even more than Thanksgiving." 

Simon scratched his nose and nodded. "It's no problem. You should thank Lucy, though. She invited you." 

"But it's because of you she did. And you're the one who's special to me. So thank you." 

Simon blushed slightly. "You're welcome." 

Unnoticed by both teens, a person standing by the door pushed themselves off the wall and headed for the stairs. _So that's it._

~*()*~ 

"So now you want me to LIE for him?" 

"Look, Sarah and the Glass' don't know, and you don't really want to spoil everyone's Christmas, do you?" Lucy leaned an arm against the kitchen counter. 

Kevin crossed his arms. "Maybe I do a little. I can't believe you even invited him." 

"Would you rather I let him be alone on Christmas, when he should be with family and loved ones?" 

Kevin nodded. "Yes. I'm still not comfortable with someone like...that...around me, much less you or Ben." 

Lucy frowned. "He's one of my best friends, Kevin. Not only that, but he's an important part of Simon's life, practically family. Are you saying you can't accept my family?" 

"I'm not saying that. I like Simon, and I can deal with the fact that he's...that way. I'm just saying I can't accept his boyfriend. I still don't trust him." 

"Well stuff that thought in a box and hide it away for the Christmas season, okay? I'm not going to have you ruin this for everyone!" 

"You can't be serious." 

"I am dead serious, Kevin." Lucy stared down her future fiancé. 

That's when Sarah descended the stairs, her brow furrowed and her arms crossed. When she sensed the tension in the room, however, she snapped out of her thoughtful state and looked between the two people. "Is everything okay?" 

"No, it isn't." Kevin shook his head. 

"Yes it is." Lucy glared at Kevin. 

Sarah blinked. Both of them had responded at the same time. _I wonder what this is about._ "Anything I can help with?" 

"Not really, no." Lucy headed for the stairs. "Go talk to your brother, Kevin. And think it over. Christmas is important to me, and I don't want anything to mess it up." She stormed up the stairs. 

Kevin shook his head and left. 

Sarah blinked, then decided to search out her own husband.   
~*()*~ 

"Now if you two need anything, just call, kay?" 

Matt nodded. He and Sarah were sitting on what used to be Jordon's bed. "We should be fine, though." 

"Alright." He bowed his head slightly. "I'm sorry if dinner seemed a bit tense. It was probably my fault, since I'm not truly family." 

Matt shook his head. 

Sarah just shrugged. "It seemed that a lot was going on." 

"Yeah, well, thanks. It really means a lot to me." Closing the door behind him, he went to his own room and lay down. _It really did, even though I couldn't be affectionate with Simon._ He heard his personal phone ring and hit the speaker button. "Hi, moshi moshi?" 

"Well, well, ototou. And you call me a night owl." 

"Aniki, it's only ten-thirty here." 

"Ahh..." Jordon paused. "I forgot about the time change." 

"Baka." 

"Hai hai." 

"So what's up?" 

"Well, I got to thinking that since I won't be there, we won't have our yearly chess match. So I thought maybe you'd like to go at it over the phone." 

"Which version?" 

"I think this year it's the 3-D version's turn." 

"That's in the living room. Let me get it and set it up." 

"Righto." 

Terry went into the living room and looked through a bookcase. Finding the game he was looking for, he glanced at his Christmas tree as he pulled the game out. A glass ornament caught his eye. 

_"Ne, aniki, can I get this one?"_

_"That's a bit too much for my budget."_

_"Please, aniki? We haven't gotten any new ornaments since the divorce, and I really, really like this one. Onegai?"_

_Jordon sighed and pulled out his wallet. "I hate when you use those doe eyes."_

_"Wai! Aniki wa sugoi!"_

_"Hai hai." Jordon took the ornament and headed for the counter._

__"That's right," Terry muttered to himself. Shaking his head, he returned to his room. "Alright, aniki. Ready to be killed?" 

"Ha! Let's see you try." 

~*()*~ 

"A skating rink!" Lucy grinned and hugged Kevin. "I haven't been skating in a long time. Thanks for taking us!" 

Simon, sitting on a nearby bench, unlaced his shoes. _I just wish Terry could of joined us. But he left early this morning for some errand. Here's hoping it's not to gather Aunt Julie and Uncle Hank._

Matt nudged his brother. "Hey, you okay?" 

"Just wishing I had someone special here, like you and Lucy do." 

Matt looked over to Sarah, who was getting some hot chocolate from the snack vender. "You never know. Maybe he's already here." 

Simon shook his head and pulled on his ice skates. "What are the odds of that, Matt. Besides, why would he come to a skating rink by himself?" 

"Maybe to reminisce when he and his brother skated together." Lucy sat across from Simon, putting on her own skates. 

Kevin sat a little ways down, watching the rink rather than participate in the conversation. Spotting a familiar flash of hair, he squinted his eyes. _No way, he couldn't be here. _He scanned the rink again. _No, it must've been my imagination. He's probably doing Christmas shopping._

__Sarah came back and sat next to Matt, handing him a cup of hot chocolate as well. "So, when did you last ice skate?" 

Matt hunched his shoulders a bit. "Well, actually..." 

"He's never skated." Lucy tossed her hair over her shoulder and bent down, lacing up her second skate. 

"Yeah. I never could really get my balance." 

Lucy stood, looking at Kevin. "You ready to teach me to skate?" 

Kevin blinked, looking at his future bride in puzzlement. "I thought you said you skated before." 

"And I kept falling down. But I still had fun. I figure you can help me get better." 

Patting his knees, Kevin stood up and headed for the entrance to the rink. "Alright, let's get started." 

Simon stood as well. He wobbled a bit before he figured how to stand on the rubber mats. _I haven't skated in years. _Taking a careful step onto the ice, he slowly skated along the wall. 

Sarah watched Simon and Lucy skate off a few minutes before looking at her husband. "So Matt, want to give it a shot?" 

"No, I think I'll be okay just watching them." Matt pulled his coat around him tighter and sipped his drink. 

Sarah shrugged and leaned against Matt, wrapping an arm around his. "I can live with that." 

Watching Kevin lead Lucy off to the side, Simon forgot that he needed to stay close to the wall and became swept up as faster skaters began passing around him. "Wha-hey! Watch out!" A couple hit his arms, throwing back apologies as he lost his balance and fell back. "Gah!" 

Two arms caught him before he hit the ice and dragged him back towards the wall. 

Blinking, Simon looked up. "Terry?" 

Terry grinned and helped Simon stand, leaning him against the edge of the rink. "Yo. Didn't expect to see you here." 

"I...but when...I didn't..." Simon looked around the rink, then towards the entrance. "Have you been here the entire time?" 

"I've been here about an hour. It's easy to lose yourself when you're just skating and thinking." 

Simon watched the faster skaters pass by. "Yeah. Um...thanks. For catching me, I mean." 

Terry simply smiled. "I'll always be around to catch you. I've told you that before." Pushing off from the wall, Terry reentered the mainstream of skaters and began going around the rink. 

Simon stared after him. _He's good._ Straightening up, he looked at his feet, then pushed off as well, working on skating and keeping balance. 

"Alright, now the right foot...good...good..." 

Lucy held onto Kevin's wrists, staring down at her feet. "I'm not sure, Kevin. It still feels a bit...unbalanced." 

Kevin looked at her feet. He tilted his head and shrugged. "I don't know, Luce. I've been skating since I was little. It was just something I picked up in New York. I never actually taught anyone except Ben, and he pretty much picked it up too." 

Lucy let go of Kevin and waved her arms a bit, trying to keep balanced. "Well, isn't there any special tricks you remember?" 

"Not really." 

Terry suddenly came up behind Lucy and grabbed her wrists. "May I cut in?" 

Lucy jumped slightly and looked back at Terry. "I guess." 

Kevin straightened himself and stared at the male model. "Actually, I'm trying to teach Lucy to skate." 

"Oh, well that's easy." Terry pushed Lucy forward, keeping a small distance between them and holding onto her wrists. "Just do as I say. Right...left...right...left...good." 

Lucy looked at her feet. "But it doesn't feel right." 

Terry skated around in front of her and looked at her feet. "Line up your feet with your shoulders." 

Lucy did so, then looked back at Terry. 

"Now, push and glide. Push and glide." Terry skated away a bit, demonstrating, then returned and stood next to her. "Ready? It's just slow and steady." 

Lucy nodded and started off, Terry keeping pace at her side. She lost her balance a couple times, but Terry steadied her, and before she knew it, she was skating. "Hey! This is great! How'd you learn that?" 

"My brother taught me, and mom taught him." Terry glanced back, where Kevin was tailing them. "Why don't you go skate to your soon-to-be fiancé. He looks a bit jealous." 

Lucy nodded and executed a wide curve, angling back towards Kevin. 

Terry looked around, then skated up to Simon, who had just figured out how to skate with the mainstream. "Your sister's a fast learner." 

Simon looked at him. "Huh?" 

Terry smiled. "So are you, it appears." Terry took Simon's hand, only to squeeze it quickly and let it drop. "I'll see you at Christmas dinner, okay? I've got to get going now." 

"But we just got here-" 

"I've been here too long, Simon. I have other things I need to do." Terry took off, weaving through the crowd until he reached the edge of the rink and walked out. 

"That was pretty impressive." 

Terry blinked and looked at Matt. Shrugging, he grabbed his shoes and sat across from the Camden couple. "It's not hard if you break it down to the basics. I could teach you." 

Matt quickly shook his head. Sarah smiled, but she was also looking Terry over. 

Terry slipped on his normal shoes before returning the look Sarah was giving him. 

Matt noticed the looks and nudged his wife. "Everything okay?" 

Sarah broke the unofficial staring contest and smiled at her husband. "Oh, yeah. Everything's fine." 

"Then I bid you adieu." Terry traded in his skates and headed for the exit. 

"What was that about, Sarah?" 

"Just trying to figure out something, that's all." 

"Figure out what?" 

"I'll tell you when I figure it out."  
Matt blinked at that. A yelp and the sight of blond falling to the ground caught his attention, as Lucy slipped and pulled Kevin down as well. "Oh boy." 

~*()*~ 

"You still haven't told her?" Terry looked at the cards in his hand. "Got any threes?" 

"Go fish. And no, I haven't. I just haven't found the right time to tell her." Matt leaned back on the couch. "You and Simon haven't told the community yet." 

Terry picked up a card and looked at it. "Don't change the subject. Simon's going to be really hurt if he or I has to tell her. And tonight's Christmas Eve. If you don't tell her today, there's going to be quite the confusion during the gift opening." 

"You think it's easy for me to tell her? Do you recall how I reacted? And got any queens?" 

Terry handed a card over to Matt. "Pretty pissed, but then again, I wasn't exactly in my right mind when I came over." 

"Exactly. This is the sort of thing that can ruin a perfectly good marriage. Got any fours?" 

"Go fish. It's not you, it's Simon. Now tell her already. When she comes out of the shower, tell her. I won't have Simon's Christmas present ruined." 

"I'm sure whatever his gift is doesn't require everyone knowing about you two." Matt picked up a card. 

"Actually, no, it doesn't. But it would spare us from the stunned looks." Terry looked over his cards, then up as Sarah entered the living room. "Ohayo." 

Sarah blinked. "Um, good morning." 

Terry smiled, then set his cards face-down and nodded to Matt. "Well, I have to go fix some breakfast in the kitchen. I'll leave you two to talk." Terry left the room. 

Matt leaned forward and put his cards down. He felt his wife sit next to him, and leaned back, stealing a brief kiss. 

"Is there something you need to talk to me about?" Sarah crossed her arms. 

"Yes, actually, there is. It concerns Simon, and Terry, actually. You see, um...well, sometimes things happen in life and...no, let me start over." Matt turned to face her and rested a leg on the couch. "Sometimes interpretations are wrong and so...no." He rubbed his forehead. 

Sarah rested a hand on his arm. "Matt, just tell me." 

"That's just it, it's not something I can just say. I mean, I'm afraid it'll upset you, but I don't want to lose you. Though this doesn't really concern me, it sometimes affects marriages, and-" 

A bun flew from the hall doorway to Matt's head. "Get to the point!" 

Matt picked up the bun and rubbed his head. 

Sarah hid a smile behind her hand a moment. "Just tell me, Matt." She took his free hand in both of hers. "I promise that whatever it is, it won't break what we have." 

Matt closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Simon's gay." 

Sarah blinked. "I know." 

Matt opened his eyes and stared at his wife. 

In the kitchen, both Camdens could hear a thud, presumably from Terry falling. 

Matt opened and shut his mouth a few times. "You KNOW?!" 

"And he's dating Terry, right?" 

"You know?!" 

Terry recovered from his shock as well, exited the kitchen, and leaned against the doorway to the hall. "I thought we were pretty discreet." 

Sarah looked over at Terry. "Well, you were pretty good, and I think you fooled my parents, but I figured it out on my own." 

"How? Terry and Simon were dating over two months before anyone but Lucy knew! And Lucy found out because she stalked them!" 

Terry walked over and rested a hand on Matt's shoulder. "Calm down." He looked at Sarah. "But his question is valid. How did you figure it out?" 

"Well, I wasn't sure at first. It started with the looks Simon kept giving you. And how you treated him at the ice rink was a good clue, plus offering us a place to stay." 

"But that shouldn't give it away." 

Sarah looked at Matt. "That's right. They were all hints. What really gave it away, though, was what you said to Simon in his room that first night before dinner." 

Terry furrowed his brow. "We didn't say anything that would give it away." 

"You did. That Simon was someone special, and that you should be with friends and loved ones." 

Terry nodded. "Ahh...and from the rest of the pieces, you concluded that we're a couple." 

"Yep." 

"And you're okay with this?" 

Sarah nodded at Matt's incredulous look. "It's obvious your family has come to terms with it, and have accepted the responsibility for keeping it a secret. While I may not agree personally, it's not my life. And if your family didn't convince either of them that it was wrong, then anything I say will be ignored. So yeah, I guess I'm okay with it. Simon's a great kid, and Terry's not too bad. As long as they're happy, I think I can handle it." 

Terry grinned. "I like her, Matt. No wonder you opted to marry her." 

Matt nodded, at a loss for words at the moment. 

"Matt, why don't you shower while Sarah helps me with breakfast, ne? I'd like to get to know her better." 

"Uh, yeah. Fine." Matt shook his head and headed for the bathroom, still trying to figure everything out. 

Sarah watched her husband. "I can understand why he didn't tell me before our marriage." 

"I just told the extened family recently, and they're still not comfortable with it. Heck, I told Kevin months ago and he's still wary around me. Since most reactions are pretty negative, we didn't want to alert everyone just yet. Simon and I meant to come out this year, but things went by too fast." 

Sarah stood up. "Well, why don't I break it to my family. That'll help ease your burden." 

"That'd be great." Terry put an arm around her shoulders. "I think you and I are going to be great friends." 

"I think so too." 

Both of them headed for the kitchen. 

"Out of curiosity, did you ever think of going after Matt?" 

"Nope. Not my type. Besides, he was too much like my older brother, worse than him in fact. It would've driven me nuts." 

"Just checking." 

~*()*~ 

"Well, now it's time to open gifts." 

Simon yawned. He didn't recall Christmas Eve being so exhausting. Then again, he had also gotten up pretty early to help out with dinner and the lights. Plopping on a couch, he offered a small smile as Terry walked to the front door, grabbing a bag that he had come over with. _I wonder what he got me._ He glanced over to the tree. While he was indeed known as The Bank of Simon, it was difficult to figure out how much to spend on his boyfriend. _He has enough money to buy everything he wants already. What can I get him? But it's the thought that counts, right?_

__The twins, Annie, Eric, and Ruthie took a seat next to the tree, within arms reach of the gifts. Matt offered the chair to his wife, sitting on the arm of it after she had settled in. Kevin chose to sit on the other couch, Lucy sitting next to him and Ben standing behind them. While the skating rink had created a small fight between them, it appeared that they had made up; at the very least, for that evening. 

Terry walked in a few minutes later, a glass filled with clear liquid in one hand, the bag in the other. He sat next to Simon, setting the glass on the table. "Did I miss anything?" 

"Nope." Eric grinned at Terry. 

"You could've offered to get us water." Kevin eyed the glass. 

Terry picked it up and took a small sip. "I didn't because it's not water. It's sake." 

The room went silent as the entire Camden clan stared at Terry. 

Terry blinked. "What? It's not like I ever have more than a few ounces." 

"You're under age." Kevin crossed his arms. 

"You're drinking?" Simon stared at Terry. 

Terry sighed. "It's no big deal. In Japan, kids are allowed to have sake on special occasions, such as funerals, weddings, and holidays." He swished his drink a bit. "Mom disapproved at first, but dad insisted on it for Jordon, and so when I came along, Jordon continued the tradition. Like I said though, I never drink more than a few ounces per occasion. It's just to honor my Japanese heritage." He took another sip. "Be glad my brother isn't here. He'll down a whole bottle." 

Annie and Eric exchanged glances. 

"Fine, fine." Terry gulped the rest of it down. "Gah! I hate rushing it." He set the glass down. "There, all gone. I'll leave the bottle if any of you want it, otherwise I'll just bring it home and lock it back up." He sat back and looked around the room. "It's Japanese custom. I love your family, but I'm not going to stop a tradition that I've done almost all my life." 

Simon swallowed and nodded, slowly looking to the others. "It's custom. I think we can look it over. I mean, it's just a tiny bit." 

"Tiny bit or not-ow." Kevin rubbed his side. 

Lucy put her arm down and gave Kevin a look. "It's tradition." She looked at her father. "So why don't the twins get theirs first?" 

"An excellent idea." _Good save. I'll talk to Terry about what he did later. After Christmas._

~*()*~ 

"Well, that's everyone in the family." Eric looked to Terry. "That just leaves you." 

Terry nodded and looked through his bag. 

Simon set the CD he had gotten down and looked at his boyfriend. "You didn't really have to get something for everyone." 

Terry waved a hand and pulled out some envelopes. "I told you, I didn't get anyone much." He looked at them. "Let's see." Standing up, he handed an envelope to each Camden. "It's not much." He handed one to Kevin, Robbie and Sarah as well before taking his seat and pulling out three more gifts. 

Lucy, noticing no one else was opening their gift, tore open her gift and opened the card within. "One hundred dollars?" She lifted the bill and looked at Terry. "Terry..." 

Terry paused in examining one of his three gifts and smiled at Lucy. "The only thing is you have to spend it on something completely frivolous for yourself and nothing else." 

The other Camdens opened their envelopes as well. 

Ruthie raised an eyebrow. "Fifty?" 

"Terry, you shouldn't have." Annie shook her head as she looked at her own and her husband's hundreds. 

"Thanks man." Matt smiled at Terry. 

"Yeah, really. This is great." Sarah rubbed Matt's arm. 

Robbie simply grinned. 

"What, nothing for me?" 

Terry looked at Ben. "I didn't expect you to be here." Terry looked at Kevin. "Everything okay?" 

Kevin blinked. "Huh? Oh...yeah. Thanks." 

"What about the twins?" 

"Just a couple of savings bonds. They're in their cards." 

"Cool." Simon opened his card, only to find it was just a card. "Terry-" 

"Yours is coming up. Call me selfish, but I want to unwrap my gifts first." 

Eric nodded. "True, fair's fair. You had to sit through ours." 

Terry grinned and ripped the wrapping off the first one. "From aniki." 

Robbie looked the box over. "What is it?" 

"DVD box set of Martian Successor Nadesico. I've been meaning to get it for a while, but haven't had the chance." Terry smiled and read the back. "I've only seen clips, but it looks great." He set it back in the bag and picked up the second gift, the first of two envelopes tied with ribbon. "From mom." Tearing it open, he glanced at the card inside. "Gift certificate for a bookstore." He set that one in the bag as well. 

"Not very personal for a mother." Annie frowned and helped Sam get one of his toys out of the box. 

"No, actually, it is. It's exactly what I asked for on my list." He held up the final envelope to the light. "From Obasan." 

"Obasan?" Lucy titled her head. 

"My aunt in Africa." He opened it and looked at the card. "Merry Christmas, blah blah blah, doing well, yadda yadda, ah, here we go." Terry read something, then paused and reread it. 

Simon leaned over. "Is something wrong?" 

"Enclosed are two checks. The first is my annual $5000 one, your Christmas gift." 

Various exclamations sprang out from around the room. Terry waited a few minutes until it quieted down. 

"What's the other check? For your brother?" Matt leaned forward. _$5000. No wonder he's always taking Simon to nice places._

"The other check is my final charity donation for this year. As your boyfriend's father is a church minister, please make this donation for me." 

Eric blinked. "A check for the church? Really?" 

Terry handed the check over to Eric. 

"$10,000?!" Eric's jaw dropped. "Are you sure-" 

"It's for tax reasons." Terry sighed and leaned back. "She does it every year to some minor church or charity. I guess because of Simon..." 

"$10,000...good lord." 

Simon, as stunned as the rest of the people in the room, nearly missed the box that tapped against his leg. Taking it, he looked at Terry, who had a small smile on his face. "What's this?" 

"Merry Christmas, Simon." 

Simon took the box and looked at it. It wasn't too big, in fact about the same size as the gift he had gotten Terry. Grabbing the last wrapped present, he handed it to Terry. "Merry Christmas to you, too." 

Terry looked at the package. He examined the wrap a moment before pulling it off, the others in the room having forgotten about the two teens. "Gravity Dreams?" 

"I know a book isn't much compared to what you got from the rest of your family, or for what you got everyone else, but-" 

"Simon, it's wonderful." Terry set the book in the bag. "My brother told you, didn't he." 

Simon nodded. "Yeah. He gave me a list of books." 

Terry smiled and moved closer to Simon. "It's wonderful." 

"Are you sure? I mean, compared to even your mother's gift-" 

"It's the thought that counts, Simon. You got me something you thought I'd love. I couldn't ask for anything more." 

Simon looked down. "Thanks." 

Terry tapped the box he had handed Simon earlier. "So open it." 

"Oh, right." Simon opened the gift. Inside was a photo album. "What's this?" 

"Do you know we've been going out for over a year now, Simon?" Terry took the album and opened it. "A year together. A year, despite the turmoil and problems, I wouldn't trade for anything." He set it to the first page, revealing pictures of himself and Simon, both together and apart. "My brother, Amber, and a few other friends," he glanced at Lucy briefly, "have been taking pictures and keeping notes." He scooted next to Simon and wrapped an arm around him, resting the album on their legs. "It's a record of our first year together." 

"Terry..." Simon could feel his water gathering in his eyes. "This is...thoughtful...wonderful...I don't know what to say." 

"How about nothing." Terry leaned in and kissed Simon. 

Simon closed his eyes and returned it, ignoring the room around them and how it seemed to have gone silent. 

Sarah tapped Matt's arm and looked up. "Wonder how long they'll keep that up." 

Matt shrugged and stood. "Maybe we should give them their privacy." He looked at the rest of the Camden clan. 

"Ah man." Ruthie stood and headed out. "Come on, Ben. Let's go get some more pie before bed." 

"Done." Ben wrinkled his nose and left. "Don't you find that disgusting?" 

Robbie shrugged, following them. "It's their lives. And if you don't like it, don't stare." 

"Too true." Lucy dragged Kevin along, who was wearing the same disgusted look as Ben was. 

"I can't believe he brought sake." Eric helped walk David out. 

"We'll talk with him about it in a couple days." Annie followed with Sam. 

Looking around the room, Happy stared at the two kissing teens, then headed for the stairs. 

After a few more moments, Terry pulled away a few inches. "Kimi ni Merry Christmas, koibito." 

Simon opened his eyes and stared into Terry's golden orbs. "Merry Christmas, Terry. I love you." 

Terry smiled and kissed Simon again. 

~*()*~  
~*()*~  
~*()*~  
Aniki: older brother 

Hai: yes 

Kimi ni Merry Christmas: Merry Christmas to you 

Ja ne: later, see ya 

Ara: my  
Sensei: teacher 

-san: an honorific attached to names designating status (this one is respectful and quasi-familiar) 

Iie: no 

Gomen: sorry 

Ototou: little brother 

Baka: idiot 

Ne: hey, right, kay 

Onegai: please 

Wai: yay 

Aniki wa sugoi: my elder brother is great 

Ohayo: good morning 

Sake: rice wine  
Obasan: aunt 

Koibito: my love 

Author's Prattle: Well, the main fic plot has finally caught up to the Christmas Special spoiler. I've revised it slightly to fit with the timeline. I know Robbie is out of sorts slightly, but I figured he'd return for Christmas, one last celebration with the Camdens. Next chapter is starting to catch up with the main tv plotline. I'd also like to formally announce that after season seven, this fic won't follow the tv plotline (mainly because Simon vanishes). Everything up to and including the end of season seven (maybe a tiny bit of season eight, such as the sex of Matt's children, and Lucy's) will be tied into this fic plot, but after that, it'll cannon into its own major plotline. 

As for the next chapter, it should be out in another week or so (have it half-way finished already, with a major plot and a couple sub-plots). If you've been watching season seven, chapter twenty-three will coincide with (and rewrite) the episode that had the famous line: "Run!" 

And finally, the disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven, its characters, or its setting. They belong to Brenda Hampton and Aaron Spelling. Don't sue, I'm a poor college student, and simply writing for the joy it brings. 

The song Terry was singing was a Christmas song from Card Captor Sakura (no, not the idiot American version) called "Yorokobi no Carol." It is performed by Tomoyo and the full lyrics can be found at Animelyrics.com. The anime Card Captor Sakura belongs to CLAMP. 

Many have already reviewed this chapter, but for those that didn't read the spoiler, hope you enjoyed! 


	23. Carnal Urges

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

__Chapter Twenty-Three: Carnal Urges 

"I love you to the point it breaks me. No kind of words are enough, because I also have a love, that I can never give voice to." 

"You know, if you're not careful, he's going to be swamped by the girls drooling over his voice." Lucy glanced at her watch. 

Simon snatched one of his sister's fries. "You're just jealous I have a boyfriend that can sing." 

Lucy chuckled and sipped her soda. "I'm glad you and Terry asked us to come. It's good to give Kevin and him more time together." 

Simon sighed and leaned back in his seat. "Karaoke night at the Pool Hall wasn't my idea. I thought Kevin would feel more comfortable playing miniature golf or something." 

"It's not you he has to get used to anymore. I mean, he doesn't seem to mind that you're gay." 

"I know, but he still doesn't like Terry. Though the Christmas gift bought him some points, I think." 

Lucy shook her head. "I can't believe he spent that much money on us." She looked towards the stage again. "He really does have a nice voice." 

"Yeah..." 

"The setting sun sinks again, as it embraced its passion, it reaches its inward rest, even though it's painful...always." 

Simon clapped as the music died down. 

"Have you told him you have a pretty good voice?" 

Simon shook his head. "Compared to his, it's not so great." 

"I'm sure he'd love to hear it, though. He loves everything about you."  
"Still..." 

"Still what?" Terry took a seat by Simon and poured himself a glass of water. "What're we talking about?" 

"Just talking." Simon rested his arms on the table. "You did great." 

"I just wish there was a real karaoke bar around here. Man, Jordon and I used to have some wild parties renting out one of those rooms." Terry gulped down the liquid. "Listen, I'm going to step outside for a minute, get some air. I'll be back in a few, okay?" 

"Yeah, no problem." 

Lucy touched Terry's wrist. "Did you see where Kevin went? I haven't seen him for a few minutes." 

"I'll check the men's room on my way back." 

"Thanks." Lucy turned back to the remains of her food as Terry walked off. 

Simon watched him leave, feeling a twinge of jealously as one of the girls got a little close to his boyfriend. _Calm down, calm down. He's a model, it's only natural they're attracted to him. You are. You know he'd never cheat on you._ He noticed his sister scanning the room for her future fiancé. _I'm becoming as insecure as Lucy. Maybe we shouldn't hang out with her so much..._

~*()*~ 

Terry crossed his arms and looked at the night sky. _I wonder how aniki's doing. He hasn't called in two weeks. Granted, he must be busy, but so busy he can't even spare five minutes to call and say hi?_ He sighed. _I didn't realize how much I'd miss him. At first it wasn't so bad, but missing Christmas..._ He watched a car drive by. _Guess I should get used to it. From what I know, he's not going to leave Japan when he graduates._

"Hey, what're you doing outside?" 

Terry shook his thoughts clear and looked to his right. "I could say the same to you, Kevin." 

Kevin rested against the wall. "Needed some air." 

"Me too." Terry leaned against the wall as well. "Lucy's looking for you." 

"I figured." 

Terry turned his head slightly. "You sound like you have something on your mind." 

"Why'd you give me a gift?" 

Terry blinked. "The spirit of giving. Besides, you're going to be a Camden soon enough. You're a friend." 

Kevin crossed his arms and rested his head against the wall. "I don't consider you a friend." 

"You are the man Lucy has her heart on. She's my best friend. Ergo, you and I need to be at least buddies." 

Kevin pursed his lips. 

"I'm making an effort, Kevin. Lucy wishes you would as well." 

Kevin remained silent for a moment. "How good are you at shopping for rings?" 

Terry raised an eyebrow. "Engagement rings?" 

"Perhaps." 

"Pretty good. The aunt who sent the big check to the church is an a jeweler's widow, so I've learned a few things over the years." 

"Jeweler's widow?"  
"She married some miner of precious gems in Africa, he died, and she inherited. Since then, she's been running his business. She's never even left the country since then. We've never seen her." 

"Does Simon know this?" 

"Not many people know it. I planned on telling him eventually." 

Kevin rubbed his chin. 

Terry looked at his watch and pushed away from the wall. "We should be heading back in." 

"Fine, fine." Kevin walked towards the entrance. "We'll talk." 

Terry nodded. "You know where to reach me." 

~*()*~ 

"Wow...so she's running a business all by herself? Isn't it difficult to run something like that alone?" 

Terry shrugged. "I've never met her in person, so I have no idea. It doesn't seem that way in the letters we exchange. It must be pretty busy, though. She's never once flown out here, or called." 

Simon nodded. "Your family...wow. Just when I thought it couldn't get any...more surprising." 

Terry chuckled. "I guess I'm just used to it." He put his arm around Simon's shoulder and looked around the living room. "So, how're your grandparents?" 

Simon groaned. "You would bring that up." 

"It's been over a month. They should be a little used to it." 

"Aunt Julie and Uncle Hank are okay with it. The Colonel..." Simon rubbed his temple. "He's still upset. Grandma Ruth isn't as upset, but she's still a little bit." 

"Well, now the big question: when do we come out to the community?" 

Simon rubbed his leg against Terry's. "I don't know. Dad isn't back at the church, so we have to ask Chandler to do the sermon." 

"Eric will understand." 

"I'm just afraid that since it's not dad, they won't be as...accepting as they would be if he was there." 

"That's just something we'll have to risk. We failed to come out last year, let's start off this year on the right foot." 

Simon nodded. "Alright." 

Terry kissed Simon's forehead. "I've got to get going. Some new company is coming to the studio to decide if they want to use us, and the photographer wants me there to model." 

"Go, go. I'll see you next week." 

"That you will." Terry kissed Simon for another minute, then got up and left. 

Simon rested his head on the back of the couch. _Coming out to the community. This is going to be big. _His nostrils flared a moment. _Terry's scent. I wonder if noticed the new after shave I was trying. _He turned slightly red. _And every time I think of his scent, I remember that one rainy afternoon. I wonder what would've happened...if Jordon hadn't stopped us._ He looked towards the door. _Would he...have continued? Would I have?_ Stretching, he stood and headed for the stairs. _And I really shouldn't be thinking this before bed. _He laughed softly. _Then again, what's the harm in thinking. _

~*()*~ 

Simon panted, his chest heaving. Terry's warm breath was against his neck, and his moist body was pressed against Simon's. Simon could feel Terry run his hands down his sides, pausing every so slightly above his waist, before working their way back up. 

_Oh God..._ Simon's breath caught in his throat, and he leaned up, entangling his fingers in Terry's hair as he ravaged his lover's mouth. Terry responded in kind, not holding back in any way. Simon pushed his lithe form closer to Terry's, beckoning him. _Do it. I'm ready. Just-_

"DO IT!" Simon's eyes snapped open and he panted, looking around frantically. _Terry...where'd Terry go?_ He closed his eyes and fell back when he realized the truth. _A dream. One of the most...sensual dreams I've ever had._ Feeling the stiffness between his legs, he closed his eyes and tried to calm his racing heart. The images, unlike normal dreams, were still in his mind, and they weren't helping him relieve the pressure he was feeling. _Shower. A cold shower. Now._

Staggering out of bed, he put on a bathrobe and ran down to the bathroom. It was still early, and fortunately, no one had heard his strangled yell when he had awakened. _Calm down. It was just a dream...just a dream...oh God, but what a dream. _He found his hands tracing where Terry's fingers had stroked his sides. _I have to stop dreaming this. It's Tuesday and I'm still having the same dream. I never should've wondered what could have happened between Terry and I...I haven't been able to look Terry in the eyes, much less get a full night's rest in three days._ He shivered under the icy water. _Oh God, what a dream. I have to stop this, I have to. But who could I ask about this? And within the next few days?_

~*()*~ 

"I hate this new company." 

"Oh you say that about every new company that makes you do pre-dawn shoots." 

Terry pulled on a pair of jeans and grumbled. "What do you want, Susan." 

Susan, a female model that had taken Amber's place in coed shoots, crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame. Her blond hair was pulled back in a bun, and her blue eyes looked over Terry's still bare chest. "Are you sure I couldn't change you?" 

"I'm happily dating my boyfriend. Our relationship is simply platonic. We work together." 

"You and Amber were closer." 

"I knew Amber for half a decade. I've known you ten months." 

Susan waved her hand. "Details, details. Have you heard about this year's announcements?" 

Terry shook his head and rested his foot on a chair, lacing up his shoe. "No, did you get picked again? That would make it three years in a row." 

Susan shook her head. "Not this year. Amber did." 

"Amber's in Tokyo." 

"That's one reason they're doing her. Brains and looks." 

Terry smirked. "And you're lacking one of those and that's why they didn't pick you?" 

"Probably." Susan blinked. "Hey!" She shoved him over. 

Terry laughed and sat up. "You walked right into that one." 

Crossing her arms, Susan huffed. "That was a low blow." 

"You set yourself up for it." 

Susan brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. "Still, you didn't have to take the shot." 

"My mom taught me to always take openings." Terry stood and grabbed his other shoe. "So who else? You wouldn't have come just to tell me just Amber got picked. She would've called me eventually." 

"How true." Susan waited a few minutes. 

Terry finished with his shoes and grabbed a shirt. "So? Are you going to make me guess?" He began pulling the shirt on. 

"You, oddly enough." 

Terry jerked the shirt down and tucked it into his pants. "Me? The one year I don't need the publicity, they choose me?" 

"Murphy's Law. It's for the best. You get great publicity, and you and your boyfriend have been wanting to tell the community about going out." 

"Through the daily news was not the way we pictured it." Terry glanced at his waist as he put a belt on. 

"Ah, think of it as a Bhuddist gift. Everyone will know and the burden will be lifted off your shoulders." 

Terry nodded and grabbed his bag. "Maybe. I'll have to talk to Simon about it." 

"Just think it over." Susan turned to leave. "Congratulations, by the way." 

"Yeah, thanks." He watched her leave, then looked through his book bag. _Coming out to the community via the media. Well, it'd get word out faster than through the church. Maybe Susan's right. We should think of this as a gift._

~*()*~ 

Matt looked over at the phone. _Who'd be calling at eight on a Thursday morning?_

Sarah sigh was heard from the bedroom. "Probably the hospital asking if you can work a shift for someone else." 

"Joy." Matt set his physiology textbook on the coffee table and picked up the phone. "Hello?" 

"Matt? It's Simon." 

Matt smiled. "Hey, how's it going?" 

"Okay, kind of. Look, I have a problem, and I need your advice." 

Matt blinked and sat back. _He's calling me for advice? Not going to dad, Robbie, or Kevin? This must be big._ "Alright, shoot." 

"Well, um, have you ever had the same dream over and over, and you could never really get rid of the images, and it was starting to bother you?" 

"I guess. I'm not quite sure I understand. Why would the same dream matter unless it was a nightmare?" Matt shifted his position and leaned back on the couch. 

Simon sighed. "Matt, when you were a teenager, did you ever dream that you and a girl were, you know..." 

Matt frowned. "You're not gay?" 

"No! I'm dreaming of Terry, okay?! I'm having these very vivid dreams where he and I-" 

"Woah, woah! I don't want to hear about that." 

"Then stop being dense and help me! Nothing I'm doing is helping to...to calm me down!" 

Matt tried to shake the disturbing images Simon had managed to plant in his mind. "Where are you?" 

"Sitting in the tub filled with very cold water. It's not helping. I've even tried picturing mom and dad together, cause that usually does it, but it's not working this morning. We have a holiday and we're going out to breakfast, and Terry's going to be here soon!" 

Sarah stuck her head out of the bedroom and raised an eyebrow at her husband. 

"Alright, just calm down." Matt waved at his wife and covered the receiver. "It's Simon. Just a small crisis." 

"Ah." Sarah ducked back into the bedroom and went back to flipping through her anatomy book. 

"First, stop thinking about it." 

"Easier said than done. Remember? Mom and dad aren't working." 

"What about if you pictured something worse? That should work." 

"What could be worse than mom and dad?" 

"The Colonel and Ruth. Grandma and Grandpa. Aunt Julie-" 

"I get it! I get it! And I think you fixed it. For a long time." 

"Glad to be of service." 

"I'll call you later." 

"You'd better. I want to talk to you at length about this feeling of yours." 

"Yeah, yeah." 

Matt hung up the phone and shook his head. _He's growing up way too fast._

"What's wrong with Simon?" 

"He's a teenager. Just needed some advice from an older brother who's gone through some of the same things he has." _Though in a slightly different way, and certainly never as intense._

"It's sweet you two have such a close bond, even after you found out the truth about him." 

"Yeah." _Although, when it's something like this, I kinda wish he was closer to dad._

~*()*~ 

"Hey Annie. Hey little guys." Terry smiled down at the twins and set his helmet aside. "I'm not too early, am I?" 

Annie shook her head and set two glasses of juice in front of her sons. "Not at all. Simon's been up since early this morning. Guess he's excited about going out." 

Terry chuckled and pulled off his jacket. "A day off from school is a day off from school. Though I still have some work." 

"That's why you're going to brunch, I know." 

Terry raised an eyebrow. "You've been talking with Ruthie or Lucy." 

"Lucy." Annie wiped her hands and went back to preparing breakfast for the other Camdens. 

Terry shook his head. "I've got to stop telling her everything." He sat at the counter and watched the twins. "How's Eric holding up?" 

Annie gave Terry a strained smile. "He's...doing fine." 

"Still not back at the ministry, huh?" 

She sighed. "No, and no hint of it yet." 

"Well, look at the bright side." 

"There's a bright side?" 

"A lot of men experiencing a mid-life crisis decide to abandon their marriage for some young, sexy girl. Eric's only going through an identity and spiritual crisis. He's strong enough that it'll resolve, one way or another." 

"Well, I guess there's that fact." Annie wiped a pan with a paper towel. "Can't he just move a little faster, though? We all know he's going back to the ministry." 

"We may know it, but Eric has to discover it for himself, and that's no easy task." Terry rubbed his chin. "It's kind of what Simon went through to realize he was gay. It took time, a lot of patience, and a great deal of soul searching. The end result was rewarding, to himself and to me. He felt better, more confident about who he was. We need to give Eric a chance to do that." 

"He's been doing it for nearly four months! Really, how long does it take?" 

"It took so little time for Simon because I was there to help him. Eric has nobody, just the support of his family and friends. It's harder to find yourself alone than with someone who's made the journey before." 

Annie set the pan down forcefully. "I've given him all the support I think I can give! Would you stop taking his side and tell me what I'm supposed to do?" 

Terry sighed and rubbed his forehead. _I feel a headache coming on._ "Annie, sometimes it's not always about you." 

"Well, I need some support too! Where am I supposed to go, huh? My husband is the problem, so I can't go to him-" 

"Didn't he support you during your transition through menopause?" 

Annie blinked. "Yes, but what has that got to do with-" 

"This is his menopause. He did his best for you, and I'm sure he felt like you a ton of times, and just had to ride it out." 

Annie opened her mouth, then shut it again. Finally she turned back to the stove and went back to cooking. 

_Well, the headache's vanishing. No wonder Simon always wants to get out of the house. The tension is thick enough to cut with a katana._ He unbuttoned the top of his shirt and sat back, closing his eyes. _I'll have to bring that up over breakfast, see how he's feeling about everything that's going on around here._

"Terry, look out!" 

Terry's eyes snapped open in time to feel his shirt get soaked by a sticky citric liquid. He jumped off the stool and backed up. 

Annie tossed him a towel. "I'm sorry. The boys usually aren't so clumsy." She gave Sam a stern look. 

Terry waved his hand and unbuttoned the shirt completely. "Accidents happen. I once hit an Egyptian diplomat with a bowl of dip. If he could forgive a kid and not turn it into an international incident, I can forgive Sam." He pulled his shirt off. "Can I throw this in the wash? I have a spare in one of my bags." 

"Sure. I think it's clear." Annie wiped up the rest of the mess created by Sam. 

Terry opened the washer and started it up. 

Simon stepped out of the stairwell and looked at his mother. "Has Terry come yet?" _I didn't mean to chat with Matt so long, but I know that I can handle anything that happens. The dream won't bother me at all today._

"Hey, Simon." Terry closed the washer and stepped out from behind the wall. "You'll have to give me a minute. I need to get another shirt." 

Simon swallowed as images of his dream, images of Terry's bare form, returned to the forefront of his mind. _No! Go away! _Despite his protests, the mental images remained. _Damn it...after I had gotten rid of them so well, too. Why'd he have to show up without a shirt?_ "I, um, have to make a quick phone call, anyway." 

"Kay. I'll be back in a moment." Terry nodded at Annie and headed out the back door. 

Annie faced her son. "Who do you have to call?" 

"Just...a friend." Simon raced back up the stairs to his room. Closing his door, he searched his room until he found the phone. Hitting redial, he glanced out his window. He spotted Terry off to the corner, pulling out a white tee-shirt from one of the bike's saddle bags. _I was so close, too. Why does he have to have such a great body._

"Hello?" 

"Sarah? It's Simon. I need to talk to Matt again. Quickly." 

"I'm afraid you just missed him. He went out to buy some milk." Sarah hesitated. "Do you want to talk to me about it?" 

"No, no." Simon's shoulders slumped. "Just...tell him I called and I'll try again later." 

"Alright. Good bye." 

"Bye." Simon hung up and closed his eyes. _Think cold thoughts. Grandma and grandpa. The Colonel and Ruth. Mom and dad._ He felt his heart slow down, and opened his eyes. _Disturbing...but they work._ He took a deep breath and headed downstairs. 

Terry was waiting by the oven. He had put his jacket back on and held his helmet in one hand. He smiled when he saw Simon. "Hey, did you reach your friend?" 

"No. He wasn't home." 

"I'm sorry. So," Terry glanced at his watch, "ready to grab a quick breakfast?" 

"Yeah, I guess-" Simon looked at the counter as the phone rang. As Annie was dealing with breakfast, he picked up the phone. "Hello?" 

"Simon? It's Matt I just got back and Sarah said it sounded urgent." 

Simon bit his lip. "Um," 

"Well? What is it?" 

Terry patted Simon on the shoulder. "If you need to take it, take it. We'll just reschedule for tonight, okay?" 

Simon covered the mouthpiece. "You sure?" 

"It's obvious this call's important." Terry kissed Simon. "Catch you tonight." He put his helmet on and left out the back door. 

Simon stood there a moment, then remembered he was in the kitchen, a place he definitely didn't want to have this conversation. "You said we needed to talk about this. I need to talk about it now." He hurried back up the stairs again. 

Annie frowned. "Your brother's up to something. And it's not something good." 

Sam looked at David, who nodded. "Simon's not good." 

~*()*~ 

Simon hung up the phone and rested back on his bed. _I really needed that talk with Matt. He understands what I'm going through, though I could've done without the don't have sex speech, again. _He put his hands behind his head. _I hope Terry wasn't too put off. I did want to go to brunch, but if I couldn't control myself..._ He shook his head, not wanting to complete that thought. 

_I'd better say something to mom, before she suspects what's going on._ Getting up, Simon headed down the stairs to the kitchen. He found his mother getting ready to leave. 

"Simon, good. I need you to watch the boys. They're in the living room." 

"Yeah, no problem." He headed for the door, but paused before passing through it. "About earlier," 

Annie looked up from her purse. "You should be apologizing to Terry, not me." She stood a little taller. "What was that call about, anyway?" 

"Just...Matt. Matt and I really needed to talk about something, and since it was long distance..." 

Annie watched her son. _Partial truth. I'll get the rest later. _"Fine. I should back in an hour or two." 

Simon nodded and walked towards the living room. _I hate to lie, but it's something I can only talk with Matt about. I mean, who else could I talk to about my feelings, these feelings?_

"Hi, Simon." 

"Yeah, hi." 

Simon paused and looked at David and Sam. _Naw..._

~*()*~ 

"So where is this guy?" A man with a camera glanced up and down the street. 

"You know models. They're always late." Another man dropped his cigarette and put it out beneath his foot. "Think they have all the time in the world." 

"Wait, I think that's him now." The cameraman lifted his camera and took a couple photos as a teen pulled the motorcycle into the driveway. 

Terry pulled off his helmet and held up his hands. "Hey, woah, enough already." He got off the bike and frowned. "Did you have to wait outside my house?" 

"Dax Jordon, right?" 

Terry rolled his eyes and headed for the door. "Of course. Look, give me five minutes to change." 

"No, no, we want you in your natural state." The man pulled out a notepad and pen. "Name's Craig, by the way. And the cameraman is Jeff." 

Terry shrugged and opened the door. "Let me put on a real shirt. My other one had orange juice spilled on it. Get comfortable on the couch," he faced the two reporters, "and only the couch. I know how you guys think." 

Craig nodded. "Sure, no problem." 

Terry shook his head and headed for his bedroom. _I hate dealing with reporters. Ironic, considering my mother is one._ He put on an evergreen turtleneck and went back out to the living room, taking a seat on the other couch. 

Jeff took a few pictures, while Craig examined the room. "So you live here alone?" 

"Pretty much." 

"And how old are you?" 

"Eighteen." 

"Ah." Craig nodded at Jeff as he sat down. "So..." 

"So can I ask a question off the record?" 

"Sure." 

"Why pick me?" 

Craig blinked. "Pardon?" 

"Why me?" 

"You're one of the sexiest, and most successful, models. Why shouldn't you be picked." 

"Because I said I didn't want to be earlier this year." 

Craig coughed. "Yes, well, we thought that was a request, not a demand." 

Terry ran a hand through his hair. "Just ask your questions." 

"Well, where's your family?" 

"Mom's an international reporter, so this week I think she's in Russia. My father died in the September eleventh attacks." 

"I'm sorry." 

Terry sighed. "Yeah, and my brother moved to Tokyo." 

Craig noticed a picture on the wall. "Is that him?" 

Terry glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah. Bruce Jordon." 

"Why's he in Japan?" 

"He's attending Tokyo University for grad school." 

"Is he married?" 

"No. He just got dumped, actually." 

"I see." Craig made a note on his paper. "So what about you?" 

Terry raised an eyebrow. "I'm attending high school still." 

"I meant romantically. There are quite a few rumors going around." 

"What sort of rumors?" 

Craig and Jeff exchanged glances. "Well, for starters, you've never had a girlfriend." 

Terry nodded slowly. "True." He folded his hands together. 

"And that you're gay." 

Terry frowned a moment. _I guess I should tell them the truth. If I lie, it'll create a whole mess. Besides, Simon and I need to come out, and Susan's right. It's like a Bhuddist gift._ "I guess it's time the truth came out. Yes, I am. Very comfortably and happily gay." 

Craig's eyebrows raised. "Really?" 

"Yes, really. Next question." 

"Well, do you have a boyfriend?" 

Terry thought for a moment. "Yes." 

Craig waited. "How about a name?" 

"You're a reporter. If you're anything like my mom, you already have someone in mind." 

_I hate people from reporter families. _"Very well." Craig flipped back some pages in his notepad. "According to my sources, you've been seen around town with a blond teen, one year behind you, goes by the name of...Camden. Simon Camden." 

Terry bit his lip. _You admitted this much. Don't start lying now. Simon can take it. We can handle this._ "Well, you get the exclusive of the year. Yeah, Simon's my boyfriend." He waved at finger at Craig. "You harass and hound him, though, and I will make sure you won't work on a newspaper for a very, very long time." 

"May we ask him a few questions at least." 

"Another day." _After I've talked to him tonight. Here's hoping he's not too upset._

"So how is it going? Have you slept with him yet?" 

"Excuse me?" Terry crossed his arms and straightened his back. "One, that's really none of your concern, and two, no, of course I haven't. What sort of sick, twisted mind do you have?" 

Craig held up his hands. "Hey, I just ask what they want to know. Don't shoot the messenger." 

"Oh you don't have to worry about that. I only kill messengers with swift hand attacks or knives." 

Craig scratched his leg. "Eh heh, right. Um, moving on..." 

~*()*~ 

"I'm sorry dinner fell through." 

Simon shrugged and scratched his neck. "Mom just really wants me to remain here. In case something comes up." 

"I perfectly understand." Terry set his stuff down on the kitchen table. "We could eat here, though we still have time before dinner." 

"Yeah." 

"So you want to go up to your room to talk?" 

"No!" _That's all I need. Him going into my room and my bed and all I'll be able to think about is--stop! If you think it you can't look at him!_ "That is, um, there's no room, so no." 

Terry glanced at the back door. "How about the back porch, then?" 

Simon nodded. "Good idea." He headed outside. _Should be fine out here. Cool air, stars, romantic, but public. I should be fine."_

__Terry shut the door behind them and sat on the bench. 

Simon sat near him and fiddled with his hands. "So..." 

"So...you're acting strange. What's bothering you?" 

Simon shook his head. "Nothing's bothering me." 

Terry furrowed his brow a moment, scanning over Simon's body. Then he leaned forward until his face was an inch from Simon's. "Increased heart rate, flushed cheeks, erratic breath sounds. Hmm." Terry snapped is fingers. "Your carnal urges are acting up." 

Simon pushed Terry back. "You don't have to be clinical about it." 

Terry settled back in his seat and chuckled. "It's satisfying to know I can affect you like that, though." 

"So am I on some level, but," Simon looked around nervously, "it's keeping me from concentrating. All I can think about is you and...well..." 

"What's causing this? It's not just your hormones." 

"It's these, really vivid dreams I'm having." 

Terry rested a hand on Simon's. "Sexual dreams aren't unusual for teenagers. My brother had at least one a month, and no, don't ask how I know. You don't want to find out." 

"They may be natural, but these are haunting me during the day. That can't be natural." 

Terry pursed his lips. 

"What?" 

"Jordon had the same problem once, and mom sat us down to give us a lecture. The problem is, I don't think your mom gave you this lecture, and it's not one I ever felt comfortable talking about, much less telling someone else, especially my boyfriend." 

Simon frowned. "What is it?" 

Terry glanced around, then took a deep breath. "A lecture on...how to satisfy your sexual needs through onanism." 

Simon furrowed his brow, then realized what Terry meant. "She told you how to--gross! That's disturbing, far more than...than..." 

Terry nodded. "I know. But she told us that both men and woman need to, especially teenagers, and, well," Terry shuddered, "it was one piece of advice I never liked, and never followed." He looked at Simon. "But if you're feeling this way, maybe..." 

"No, no, absolutely not!" Simon rubbed his face. "We're Christians! I can accept the interpretations of homosexuality, but...but that? No, never." 

"It was just a thought. It's how my mom suggested dealing with such intense feelings." 

"Yeah, well, your mom's a bit out of this world for me." 

"Tell me about it." 

Simon stared at the window into the house, thinking silently. "The truth is, I don't know how to deal with this. And it's scary, in so many ways." 

"I wish I could help, I really do." Terry rubbed Simon's arm. "Maybe I can take your mind off it." 

Simon gave Terry a questioning look. 

Terry sighed. "I don't know if you ever noticed, but the company I model for tends to do a yearly profile of some models in the paper. It's mostly for publicity to companies looking for models." 

Simon nodded. "Yeah, I remember something like that. Five most attractive people, right?" 

"They prefer to use the term successful models, as it sounds more dignified, but yes. Well, I got picked." 

"Hey, that's great!" 

"Yes and no. Mom was a reporter, and one thing you can't do with reporters is lie. So today, when I had an interview and they asked about my romantic life..." 

Simon's eyes widened. "You...told them?" 

Terry nodded sheepishly. "Well, they had already heard I was gay and had a boyfriend. I just, sort of, confirmed the rumor mill." 

Simon groaned. "Did you tell them it was me?" 

"They had their suspicions." Terry rubbed Simon's hand. "We meant to come out last year and never did. Think of this as our chance to come out, start this year with complete honesty." 

Simon ran a hand through his hair, staring at the bench they were sitting on. "It was bound to happen sooner or later, I guess." 

"Are you angry?" 

"Not as much as I thought. I'm kinda relieved, actually. I was dreading facing those people in church without dad." Simon leaned back on the bench. "Now I just have to face the community. Oh boy..." 

"Hey, I'll be there with you. It'll be okay." Terry bit his lip. "They might call you, for a brief interview." 

"I'll keep it short." Simon yawned "I guess all we can do is hope for the best." 

"Exactly." Terry glanced at his watch. "I'm not really in the mood for dinner, now." 

"I'm not really hungry, anyway." Simon sat up and stretched. 

Terry looked at the sky a moment. "Maybe we should split up for a couple days." 

Simon looked at his boyfriend. "Split up?" 

"Spend some time apart. Maybe that'll help your dreams." 

Simon lowered his arms. "Oh...but tomorrow night we were going to-" 

"We can reschedule. Let's see if a couple days apart will help you regain your concentration." 

Simon rubbed his arm. "Alright." 

"Eric left a message that he wanted to talk with me, but I'll see you Sunday, right?" 

"Of course." 

Terry smiled and kissed Simon on the cheek. "I'll catch you there, then." He stood up. 

Simon nodded. "See you." He looked up at the stars. 

Terry watched Simon a moment, then went inside. 

Simon closed his eyes and let out a slow breath through his nose. _Terry's right. A couple days apart is probably all I need, and then we can go back to normal._ He sat a few more minutes. _I'll ask him when that article comes out on Sunday. I'm going to need to brace myself. We both are..._

~*()*~ 

Simon panted as Terry kissed down his neck. He leaned his head back and moaned softly. _"Terry..."_

_"Simon."_

__Simon blinked. _"Yeah?"_

_"Simon, wake up!"_

__Simon felt Terry vanish. _"What?"_

__"Simon, wake up!" 

Simon's eyes snapped open, his chest heaving. "What the...dad?" 

Eric sat on the edge of Simon's bed. "You alright?" 

Simon felt his face turn red. _Did I...say any of that dream out loud?_ "Wh-what are you doing in here?" 

"Lucy asked me to check on you. We all heard you moaning, and I came to see if you were okay. Are you sick? Your stomach hurt?" 

_A little._ "It's...I'm not sick, dad." 

"You certainly sounded like it. What was that moaning about, then?" 

Simon felt his ears burn even more, and he guiltily glanced at his waist. 

Eric sighed and rubbed his brow. "So I didn't imagine it. You did call out Terry's name." 

Simon looked down. "I didn't mean to awaken anyone." 

"I think we should have another talk about sex." 

Simon groaned. "Another one?" 

"Yes, another one. If you're having wet dreams that are loud enough to awaken your family, we need to talk." 

Simon sighed. "And what are you going to tell me that you haven't before, or that Matt hasn't? What do you know of having sexual desires and not being able to fulfill them?" 

"One, I'll think of something, and two, I was a teenager once, you know." 

"Yeah, I know, and that was a long time ago. You're married now." Simon crossed his arms and met his dad's stern look. "You can't remember what it must be like, and even if you can, you don't know the modern pressures we're under, or what it's like to be in love with a guy. He's a model, dad. If mom were a model, wouldn't you have had the same problem?" 

Eric opened his mouth, then shut it, then tilted his head. _Annie as a model..._ He shook his head. _Now's not the time to think like that._ "I do know a little of the pressures you're under. But if your other siblings could make it without having sex-" 

"Matt and Mary never had someone like Terry for a boyfriend." 

"Mary had Robbie, and Matt had plenty of girlfriends who could match up against Terry's looks." 

Simon's shoulders slumped. 

"And you can't compare your mother and I to you and Terry." 

Simon fiddled with the sheet, his mouth turning into a firm frown. "So what do you suggest I do, huh? Should I do what Terry's mom suggests and satisfy my needs through masturbation? Should I sleep with ice by the bed? What should I do, dad. I've talked to Terry, I've talked to Matt, I've prayed to God, and nothing is getting rid of these urges, so what the hell do you suggest I do?" 

Eric raised his eyebrows. 

Simon rolled his eyes. "Heck. What the heck do you suggest I do." 

"Well, this is obviously something that's been bothering you for a while." 

"More like frustrating me. I've run out of ideas." 

"Well, for starters, ignore Terry's mother." 

Simon ran a hand through his hair. "I know. Terry said that's what he did too." 

Eric nodded. "As for dealing with your...your..." He searched for a word. 

"Carnal urges, as Terry put it." 

"As for dealing with your carnal urges, you just have to. If it means spending less time with Terry-" 

"We're already doing that. I'm not going to see him until Sunday." 

Eric nodded. "Did he say how he deals with his urges?" 

Simon blinked. "No. Come to think of it, I never asked..." 

"Maybe you should. He must have them about you." 

Simon rubbed his chin. "Yeah. I didn't even think to ask him." He sighed. "Thanks for listening, dad." 

"Hey, I was a teen once too." 

Simon rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." 

"Think you can get more sleep? Real sleep?" 

"I think so." 

"Alright." Eric stood and went to the door, turning off the light. "Good night, Simon." 

"Night dad." Simon settled back into his covers and closed his eyes. _Sleep...don't think of Terry, just sleep..._

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Aniki: older brother 

Katana: Japanese sword 

Author's Prattle: Well, I know I promised to delve into the 'Simon wants to have sex' plot from the 7th Heaven episode "Sunday," but so much is going on that I've run out of room (unless you want a chapter that stretches to, oh, twenty pages or so). So, chapter twenty-four will be the one that coincides with the "Sunday" episode, it'll probably even begin with it. This chapter just sets up for the big sex discussion (not that it's that big). I was afraid it might be short, but then I realized there's another plot twist I can work in for part of it. But enough chit-chat about that. 

I'd like to apologize if I offended anyone. For those of you who don't know, "onanism" is a Biblical word for "masturbation" (at least according to Dictionary.com). Considering FF.N administrators and the 7th Heaven genre, I thought it might be a better term. I mean no offense. Also, I have reviewed the guidelines, and though it's borderline, Simon's dreams do fit within the realm of the PG-13 rating. Considering you made it this far reading about a gay relationship, I figured no one would mind, but I'm just putting an apology in for the administrators to let them know I am watching the guidelines. Still, no offense intended. 

Disclaimers, disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven, it's characters, or settings. They belong to Brenda Hampton and Aaron Spelling. I also don't own the song Terry was singing at the beginning, "Setsunakutemo....Zutto" from "Fushigi Yugi" (owned by Yu Watase). He was singing the english translation, which can be found at Animelyrics.com. 

So, next chapter I will definitely be integrating the episode timeline with this one. I hope you've enjoyed this chapter as well. Chat later! 


	24. Is That Afterglow?

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

__Chapter Twenty-Four: Is That Afterglow? 

Terry groaned as the phone rank shrilly in his ear. Reaching around the table, he finally slapped his hand on the speaker button. "What." 

"Hey, ototou." 

Terry yawned and looked at the time. _Never nap on a Saturday afternoon. Something always bothers you. _"Aniki, aren't you supposed to be at school, or work?" 

"You don't hear from me for two weeks and that's the first thing you say? Sheesh." 

"Jordon, are you skipping?" Terry sat up and scratched his head. 

"No! What's with you?" 

"You just woke me up from a nice nap after a three in the morning shoot. Put two and two together, or is that too basic for you, oh boy wonder." 

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry I didn't call sooner." 

"Who said this was about that?" 

"I can tell by your tone. Besides, I know you as well as you know me. If I were in your position, I'd be just as pissed." 

"Speaking of..." 

Jordon groaned. "Go. I'll be waiting." 

"Thanks." Terry got up and went to the bathroom. 

Jordon sighed. _I knew he'd be upset. Shoulda called him last week. Amber was right. But I thought I was on the verge of discovering a nov-_

"Back." 

"Hey. Feel better?" 

"Of course." Terry looked around his room. "I got your CD by the way, thanks." 

"I thought you'd like it. E-mailing music files takes forever." 

"You'll have to get me this dot-hack-slash-slash-sign anime. It sounds pretty cool." 

"I'll see what I can do. So what's going on over there? Did you and Simon spread the word?" 

Terry stretched and grabbed a pair of sweat pants. "No, but I was chosen for my company this year. I told them, and the community should know about it, oh, I think they're publishing it next Saturday." 

"You're announcing you and Simon are gay through a newspaper?" 

"It'll get the word around faster than via school or church." 

"This should get interesting. Anything else?" 

"Finally told the Camdens, well Simon and Kevin, about our aunt. Did you know she sent a huge donation for Eric's church?"  
"That must raised some eyebrows. You sure she'd want them to know?" 

"Jordon, they met mom. After that, I think they can handle an aunt that never visits and we've never seen." 

"True, after mom, there's not much that'll scare them off, or surprise them." 

"Besides, it might be my key to get Kevin to like me." 

"You're kidding." 

Terry scratched his chest and sat on the bed, yawning at the speaker phone again. "Nope. He wants some help finding Lucy's engagement ring." 

"Ohhh. Clever, clever. Think it'll work?" 

"Here's hoping. Oh, Simon's been having uncontrollable sexual dreams about me." 

Jordon remained silent a moment. "You and he haven't, you know..." 

"You were raised with our mom and you can't say it?" 

"Fine, fine, you and he haven't had sex, have you?" 

"Of course not. What kind of man do you think I am, or he is for that matter." 

"Did you tell him about mom's little discussion?" 

Terry wrinkled his nose. "Same opinion as me." 

"You sure? I could send you the book. I don't need it anymore." 

"Aniki! You promised never to mention that again!" Terry rubbed his head and shut his eyes. "Ugh, now I'm going to have that awful thought hanging in my head all afternoon. Thanks a lot." 

"Just because you didn't think it helped doesn't mean you should get upset at me." Jordon sighed. "So what did you tell him to do?" 

"I told him what I knew, and left it up to him. I really can't help him." 

"You could tell him what you do whenever you have erotic dreams about him." 

"Somehow I don't think sitting in a cold tub playing 'Flight of the Bumble Bees' on a flute would work for him. And you can't exactly play that piece of music on a guitar easily, not to mention in a house with that many people." 

"Yet you had no problem waking me up with those shrill notes." 

"Half the time you weren't asleep yet anyway." 

Jordon mulled over this a few minutes. "Okay, point taken. Still, maybe it'll give him some idea of how to fix his problem." 

"It's not a problem, aniki. It's a physical attraction. His hormone production must've increased this month or something." 

"Well, he is a teenager. I remember your first boost in hormones. You were playing that blasted song for nearly an hour." 

"And the first time you got yours, I became emotionally scarred." 

"Taught you to knock before you enter, though." 

"Urusai, baka. Why haven't you called me before now, anyway?" 

"Well, starting grad school was a lot tougher than I thought. It was a pretty rough entry. Plus my job requires a lot of lab hours." 

"And no long-distance personal calls on company time. I've heard that one before." 

"And then I started dating again." 

Terry grinned. "You've what? That's great! You should've called me after your first date! I told you Sakura wasn't the only fish in the sea. So, who is it?" Terry blinked. "Wait, it is a she, right?" 

"Of course it's a she! You're the only gay one of the family." 

"Just checking. So?" 

"Well, you know her." 

"Kouhaku?" 

"Yeah." 

"Hah! I knew putting you in the same building would do it." 

"You put us in the same building on purpose?" 

"Well, yeah. Why did you think she was so mad at me when we showed up a couple doors down from her place?" 

"You set us up?" 

"You're a cute couple." 

"I was still dating Sakura!" 

"Correction, Sakura had just dumped you." 

"Argh...bakayaro." 

"Yeah, I love you too. So anything else going on? How's Tokyo?" 

"Well, it's busy, that's for sure. The other day..." 

~*()*~ 

"So you're Dax's boyfriend?" 

Simon nodded and rested his arms on his legs. As Terry had warned, Craig the reporter had requested an interview. Since he and Terry were staying away from each other until Sunday, Simon had told Craig to come over Saturday evening. _Not like I'd have any plans._ "Yeah. For a little over a year, now." 

"I see. And how'd you meet?" 

"At school. He was a junior and I was a sophomore." 

Craig waited. "That's it?" 

"Terry said you had most information you needed." 

Craig rolled his eyes. "And you have...six brothers and sisters?" 

"If you count Robbie, seven." 

"Robbie?" 

"He kinda ended up as an adopted child. He went to Florida to help his sick mother." 

"And you're the only homosexual of the household? That must be difficult, being the son of a minister and all." 

Simon shifted uncomfortably. "It was at first, but not really any more." 

"So your family just accepts you as is? There's not any more hostility from them?" 

"Not really, no. Aren't we straying from the subject?" 

"Fine, fine. So you're now a junior?" 

Simon nodded again. 

"You know, Dax is a senior. Do you two plan on staying together when he goes away to college?" 

Simon froze at the question. _Go...away to college?_ He had completely forgotten that after Terry graduated, he'd be attending higher education. 

"Do you know where he applied to? Or if he tried to get early acceptance?" 

_Where has he applied? Did he already get accepted somewhere and not tell me? Oh lord, what if while he was in Japan he decided to go to school over there too. I'd never be able to make it over to be with him._

"Simon?" 

Simon shook his head. "I'm sorry. He, um, we haven't really talked about his college stuff." _I'm going to fix that, though._

"Very well. Well, I believe that's it. Thanks for your time." 

Simon stood and showed Craig to the door. After the reporter was gone, he leaned against the wall and rested a hand to his head. _Going away. Terry might be going away to college. _Hurrying up to his room, he searched for his phone. _I've got to find out what's going on with college. I don't want to lose him. Long distance relationships never work out._ Sitting on his bed, he dialed one of the few numbers he had memorized by heart. 

"Hey, moshi moshi." 

"Terry? It's Simon." 

"Hey, Simon. How're you?" 

Simon blinked. "Fine. Are you okay? You sound a bit, upbeat." 

"I just feel great, that's all." 

_Without me? He feels great even though we haven't been together?_ Simon's face fell slightly. "Oh." 

"It felt so good to hear his voice again. I can't believe all that's happened in only a few weeks." 

Simon furrowed his brow. _Maybe he's just happy about something else._ "Wait, you mean Jordon?" 

"Yeah. Why? What did you think I meant?" 

"Nothing, never mind." _That explains that. I guess that would cheer him up. A call from Matt would make me feel better. _"Are you doing anything important?" 

"Not really. Watching 'Oh My Goddess!' volume three." 

"Can you pause it a moment? I need to ask you something." 

"Yeah, hold on." 

Simon heard Terry move for a few minutes. 

"Alright, shoot." 

"Well, the reporter came over today and asked some questions." 

"And?" 

"One he asked I couldn't answer, and I want to know the answer to it." 

"Alright. No problem. Just ask what you want and I'll do my best to answer." 

Simon took a deep breath. "Are you going away for college? Did you get early acceptance, or are you going to Japan after you graduate?" 

Terry remained silent for a few minutes. 

Simon rubbed his leg. _Why's he so quiet? Did I guess right? Oh God, let me be wrong. I don't want him to go._

"Simon, college, college is something I want to tell you about after graduation. I want our time the rest of the year to be special. Don't worry about my college career or anything. I just want to focus on us." 

Simon felt his stomach churn. _Does that mean he's going after graduation? He doesn't want to tell me because it'll diminish our time together?_ "Terry-" 

"Simon, don't worry about my college." 

"It's bad news, though, isn't it." 

"No, Simon-" 

"Then what? Why won't you tell me?" 

Terry went silent again. "Simon, it's only January. I won't get any replies to my applications until May. I can't tell you because I don't know." 

Simon blinked. "Oh. But, didn't you apply for early acceptance?" 

"You can't do that with Advanced Placement classes. It's just a stupid rule AP students have to follow due to the testing." 

"Okay. Sorry, I didn't mean to-" 

"It's alright, Simon. I'm worried about it too. But until I get any responses, I just want us to enjoy my last year in high school together." 

"Yeah. See you tomorrow at church, right?" 

"Of course. I love you."  
"Love you, too." Simon hung up and rested back on his bed. _He's right. Don't worry about it until we have something to worry about. _He looked at his clock. _It's later than I expected. Better get to bed._

~*()*~ 

Terry rubbed his hands together and looked around. _I hate lying to Simon, but I don't want to spoil the surprise at graduation. Still, I should've come up with something better than waiting for my admission letters. He might ask again, after May, and then what'll I say?_

"Hey, sorry it took so long." 

Terry smiled and took his cup of tea from Simon. "It wasn't that long." 

Simon sat beside him and sipped his own drink. "I'm sorry about calling you last night. When that reporter asked about your college plans..." 

"It's understandable, Simon. I would've done the same thing if the roles were reversed." Terry watched a couple people walk by. "So what exactly happened to your hair?" 

Simon blinked and glanced at his reflection in a window. Rather than his normal hair parted down the middle, he had combed it back. "You don't like it?" 

"It looks like you put vaseline in your hair and then ran multiple combs through it at different angles." 

"That's rather harsh." 

"Being your boyfriend means being brutally honest sometimes. I'm sorry, that hair just doesn't work on you." 

"Alright. I'll fix it when I get home." 

Terry nodded. 

Simon's ears burned slightly and he leaned closer to Terry. "So, I was thinking over how to stop the wet dreams." 

Terry took a sip his drink. "Being apart didn't help them vanish?" 

"If anything they intensified. Terry, being away from you was torture, and I think my dreams were trying to make up for the lack of contact." Simon set his coffee down and put his hands together. "Terry, I think we're ready to...be more intimate." 

Terry tilted his head. 

Simon ducked his head. "I...I think we're ready to have sex. I'm ready, and I think you are too." 

Terry shifted his weight. "Simon..." 

"Why else would I be having such strong feelings? Every relationship has a point where it can't evolve without a higher level of intimacy." 

Terry sat there silently, staring at his cup. 

Simon faced his boyfriend. "Terry?" 

"I don't think we're ready, Simon." 

"Why not?" 

Terry finally looked up at Simon. "We can't just have sex because of our hormones." 

"I think about you constantly, and you must have me on your mind all the time." 

"But I, we, can't act on the sexual desires those thoughts bring up." Terry reached up and rubbed his shoulder. "I made a promise to myself to not fornicate before I graduated from high school." 

"But you didn't have a boyfriend then, you didn't have me." Simon rested a hand on Terry's thigh. "We love each other, Terry." 

"You don't understand, Simon. Sex, sex complicates relationships. I don't want our relationship to advance to that complexity yet. I don't think we're ready to handle that sort of pressure." Terry's shoulders slumped. "It's not that I don't find you attractive or that I'm not in love with you, it's just...I'm not ready." 

Simon pulled his hand back. "How can you be sure you're not ready? How do you know when you are?" 

"I don't know. I wish I did, but all I know is that I'm not ready for us to do that." Terry gulped some of his drink down. "Don't you want our first time to be really special, not because we can't control our physical attraction to each other?" 

Simon pursed his lips. "Terry, we're ready. I feel we're ready. My body wouldn't be acting like this, my dreams of you wouldn't be on my mind all the time if we weren't." 

"It may mean you're ready. I don't think I am." 

Simon slouched back and crossed his arms. 

Terry rubbed his knuckles, taking in Simon's mood from his posture. _He really thinks he's ready. If I keep saying no, will it push him away? Will he try and find satisfaction with...someone else?_ Terry closed his eyes. _He might. Hormones make people do strange things. If he has to have a first time now, I want it to be with me. _"Even," 

Simon looked over at Terry. 

Terry opened his eyes. "Even if I'm not ready, love is compromise." 

"Terry..." Simon grasped Terry's hand. 

Terry squeezed it in return. "If you think we're ready...I won't hold us back." 

Simon nodded slowly. _He was convinced pretty easily. I guess I was right about him wanting it too._

"So...my house?" 

Simon nodded again and stood up. 

Terry let out a sigh through his nose and stood as well. _Love has lots of sacrifices. Having sex with my boyfriend isn't that big a sacrifice. Why do I feel sick to my stomach, then?_

~*()*~ 

"Have you seen Simon?" Eric rubbed his hands together and glanced around the kitchen. 

Annie set down her laundry basket. "He went out with Terry after church." She frowned. "Come to think of it, I don't think he's come home yet. He missed dinner." 

"Oh no." Eric rubbed his face. 

"What?" 

"I didn't want to tell you because Simon deserves some privacy, but he's been...having feelings about Terry." 

"So? He's in love with Terry." 

"No I mean," Eric thought for a moment, "the feelings you and I sometimes get, when we want to check on the kids." 

Annie furrowed her brow a moment, then she remembered the overused signal her and her husband had used when they wanted some quality time. "Simon? Our Simon? With Terry? And I let him-why didn't you tell me?!" 

"Well, it seemed like they had it hand, and it really is a guy thing." 

"They could've been doing that all afternoon!" Annie grabbed the phone. "I'm calling Terry." 

Eric rubbed his chin. _I should've paid more attention to what was going on today. If Simon and Terry did that..._

Simon chose that moment to walk in the back door. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't scowling either. 

Annie hung up the phone and looked at her son. "Where have you been?" 

"Sorry I'm late." Simon headed for the stairs. 

"Not so fast. Your mother asked you a question, and I want to know too. Where have you been?" 

Simon shrugged. "I don't feel like talking about it right now." He turned and hurried up the stairs. 

"Simon!" 

Annie shook her head. "I'll go up and find out what happened." 

Eric rested a hand on her shoulder. "No, I should. You call Terry, find out what you can about...anything." He went up the stairs after his son. 

Annie picked up the phone again and dialed Terry's number. _A busy signal? Either he's on the phone, or he's trying to avoid talking to us._

Meanwhile, Eric knocked on Simon's door. "Simon? I'm coming in." He nudged the door open and slipped inside. 

Simon was lying on his bed, staring at his wall and resting his head on a pillow. 

"Simon?" 

"What." 

Eric pulled the desk chair out and sat on it. "What's wrong?" 

"I don't want to talk about it." 

"Yes, well, in this case you have to. Your mother and I are worried." 

Simon looked at him. "Worried about me? Or worried that I had sex?" 

"A bit of both." 

Simon snorted and went back to staring at the wall. 

Eric patted his hands together a minute, waiting. "So talk, Simon. I'm here. I'm willing to listen." 

"You wouldn't understand." 

"Make me understand. I promise I won't get mad, I'm just concerned about you." 

Simon remained silent for a few minutes more before speaking. "It...I asked Terry if he would...sleep with me. Well, more than sleep, you know..." Simon sat up and rested his hands in his lap. 

Eric pushed his immediate reaction down. _Let him open up. At least he's being honest about it._

~*()*~ 

"You mean he actually asked you if you two could have sex?" 

Terry looked at the ceiling. "Yes, he did. He was very straightforward about it." He rubbed his arm and glanced around Jordon's room. "And he was very adamant. I didn't...I was afraid if I said no he might have his first time...with someone else." 

"So you said yes? What about your vow to remain celibate until you graduate?" 

"I wasn't going to lose Simon, not over something like this." 

"You know he wouldn't go to anyone else." 

"No, I don't." Terry took a deep breath. "Hormones make people do strange things. You went nuts a couple times, as I recall." 

"Justified insanity is the term I prefer to use." 

"Whatever. The point is, I was afraid his hormones might lead him to a guy...more willing to have sex." 

"So you said yes. Boy, you have more insecurity issues than I give you credit for." 

"Urusai, aniki. I'm not that insecure. Just when it comes to Simon." 

"Exactly. So what happened next?" 

~*()*~ 

"We went back to Terry's place, and decided to use Jordon's room." Simon looked at the floor. "Terry wasn't really happy, but he tried to put on a facade for me. He thought I couldn't tell, but I could. It didn't stop me...but something in my mind started, started," Simon frowned. 

"Started questioning whether this was right?" 

"No, not whether it was right." Simon rubbed his chin. "Whether this was the right time, whether what we were doing was based on love." 

Eric nodded. _But did they do it or not?_

"So we started...undressing." Simon shifted his legs slightly. 

~*()*~ 

"So you removed your shirts, he started kissing your neck, and...?" 

"You're a hentai at heart, you know that aniki?" 

"Yeah, yeah, I know. So what happened next?" 

Terry rested back against the bed. "To be honest, it was a bit of a shock, to me, and I think to Simon too." 

"You realized neither of you knew what to do?" 

Terry groaned. "No. Of course it wasn't something stupid like that. It's that, well, Simon suddenly...stopped." 

~*()*~ 

"You stopped?" 

Simon nodded. "I...couldn't do it. Looking at Terry resting on the bed, looking into his gorgeous brown eyes, thinking about what we were doing, I realized that I couldn't do it. Terry didn't really want to have sex. And me forcing it upon him, it wasn't an act of love. I couldn't go through with it because it was an act of lust." 

"Lust? Understandable." 

"Not to you, dad. You have mom, and that's something you can resist. Terry is a model, practically trained to be sexy and appealing. A lot of people probably lust after him. I was actually acting on those feelings, I had the opportunity to act on them." 

_Certainly explains why he's been having so many strong dreams._ "So you didn't succumb to your feelings of lust. I'm proud of you for that." 

"I wish I felt better about it." Simon crossed his arms. "So if you were worried about whether Terry and I had sex, the answer is no. I'm going to respect his choice to not have sex." 

"I'm still proud of you. Realizing it was lust, not love, and stopping yourself before you did something you might've regretted must have taken a lot of will power." Eric frowned a moment. "That couldn't have taken all afternoon, though." 

Simon sighed. "It didn't." 

~*()*~ 

"We got redressed and talked. We decided to see each other to try and avoid the 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' problem. That's what pushed Simon to want to have sex in the first place. That's my theory, anyway." 

"Did you revisit the singular satisfaction idea?" 

"No, we didn't. Neither of us likes that idea." 

"I don't see why. It works." 

"For you, Jordon, for you. That's one idea that I take after dad's side of the family. It's a private thing, and even then, it's shameful. Something that belongs in the darker side of society." 

"Some would say the same about homosexuality." 

"Their society is more accepting of homosexuality than of onanism." Terry rubbed his eyes. "The point is, aniki, we're going to figure something out to curb both our carnal urges." 

"Yours haven't been acting up." 

"Simon and I nearly had sex this afternoon. They're acting up now." 

"How about the flute and bath?" 

"Did it. I was getting wrinkly." 

"I'm sure you'll figure out something to do." 

"I've been doing things all afternoon. The bath, martial arts, meditating, you name it." 

"Hmm. I'm sure I'll think of something." A snap could be heard. "Have you tried..." 

~*()*~ 

"So after you left, what'd you do?" 

"Just wandered around a bit. I was thinking. I had a lot to think about. Finally I," Simon glanced at his dad, "I went to see Uncle Hank." 

"What? Why?" 

"I needed to talk to someone, and I didn't think I could face you and mom, not yet. He didn't have much to offer, but he listened, and that's what I needed." 

"Still, you should have called or someth-" 

"Dad, you asked what I did, so I'm telling you. In fact the only reason I am telling you is because Hank suggested it. I thought maybe I should talk to Matt or Lucy or even Robbie, but he said I should talk to you, that you would help me through this. I spent the rest of the time wondering how I was going to tell you, my dad, how I nearly had sex with my boyfriend. Do you know how hard it is to tell you about all this? If you hadn't come into my room and pushed me, I wouldn't have even told you yet. I was still trying to figure out how to tell you." 

Eric blinked. _I'll have to remember to thank Hank when I see him again._

Simon laid back down on his bed. "So now Terry and I are taking another break, to figure out how to handle our feelings." 

Eric nodded. "Well, that's good." 

"And now that I've told you, can you leave? I'd like to get some rest. It's been a tiring day, more than you can realize." 

Eric winced. "Ah, you can't do that. You have to go to an evening service with the family." 

Simon groaned. "Why?" 

"Lucy's giving the sermon." 

Simon raised an eyebrow. "Are you going?" 

"No." 

"Then why do I have to go?" 

"Your mother will be angry with you if you don't, even more than she is now." 

Simon thought over that a moment. _Go to the service or piss off mom and rest? Who am I kidding. If I make her angry I'm going to get no rest._ "Fine, fine. I'll go." He sat up again. "At least I don't have to change." He licked his lips. "Am I going to be punished?" 

"Well, you did almost have sex, but you stopped yourself and told me rather than hiding the truth." Eric shrugged. "I'll talk to mom about it." 

"Can't you talk to Matt? I don't feel comfortable with mom knowing my sex life. You knowing is disturbing enough." 

_Too late._ "I'll consider it." Eric got up and went to the door. "And I am proud of you, Simon." 

"I just wish I felt that way too." _After all, I'm the one who pushed Terry._

~*()*~ 

Kevin couldn't believe his eyes. As a cop, he was required to go to the shooting range once a week. In Glen Oak, where little crime ever happened, he truly needed the time. If it weren't for the usually empty shooting range, he'd have forgotten how to shoot properly, not to mention accurately. Very few people came to the shooting range, usually just cops and one or two hunters that liked to brush up before going out to the woods. 

Terry Jordon was one person Kevin never expected to see here. He was always busy, good at martial arts, and never seemed to have the stomach to handle the idea of shooting a living thing, or even a paper thing, for that matter. But there he was, putting on the mandatory safety glasses and the ear mufflers resting around her neck. _What the hell is he doing here?_

Terry didn't seem to notice him and took his place in a stall two down from Kevin's. Deciding he should investigate this strange action, Kevin set his firearm down and went over to the male model. "Terry?" 

Terry blinked and looked at Kevin. "Hey." 

"What're you doing here?" 

"What does anyone do at a shooting range?" 

_That's certainly his normal attitude. But that attitude wouldn't shoot a gun._ "Yes, well, but what are you doing here?" 

"I'm going to practice shooting a gun." Terry gave Kevin a look that clearly indicated any idiot would know that. "Is there a problem?" 

"It's just that I've never seen you here before. I didn't even know you owned a gun." 

"I don't." Terry set the weapon down and put on the mufflers. "When we were little, mom enrolled us in a couple classes." 

"Why?" Kevin had to yell to ensure Terry heard him. 

Terry blinked and furrowed his brow a moment. "My mom's an international reporter, entered war zones where kids were shooting for the lives of their family, and you ask why?" 

Kevin rolled his eyes and placed his hands on his waist. "Okay, so she enrolled you in classes. Why're you here now?" 

"Jordon suggested I try it to work off my frustrations since nothing else is working. Kind of like gestalt therapy." Terry set his legs shoulder width apart and took aim with the gun. 

Kevin crossed his arms. _This ought to be good. Ten to one he won't be able to hit any vital parts._

Terry narrowed his eyes, then let off six sharp rounds. 

Kevin's raised his eyebrows. _That's one bet I would've lost._ Three holes were smoking from the paper's forehead, while three more were located right where the human heart would be. _He's got good aim._

Terry sighed and set the gun down. "Well, that's that." 

"What, you mean you're stopping?" 

"I only did this as a last resort. I don't like guns, and they're a bit too loud for me. I prefer the idea of a quiet death." Terry sighed and removed his ear mufflers. 

"But you're a great shot." 

"It's simple hand-eye coordination. Look, Kevin, I don't like guns. Gestalt, remember? This was at the suggestion of my brother to get my mind off...other things." 

"What other things?" 

Terry removed the safety glasses and headed for the exit. "It's personal. And don't you have to go be with Lucy or something?" _Anything to get you off my back. I'm feeling better, but I'm not in the mood to deal with you._

Kevin glanced at his watch. _Damn. I've got to change before her sermon._ He followed Terry out. "Yes, actually. She's giving her first sermon tonight at her father's church. You going to go?" 

Terry returned the equipment to the manager and ran a hand through his matted tan locks. "Maybe." 

"She's your friend and you're not going?" 

"Since when do you care?" 

Kevin stood a little straighter. "I'm trying to accept you. You're always going to be a part of Lucy's life, after all, due to your association with Simon." 

Terry closed his eyes and hung his head slightly. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day." 

"Doing what?" 

"It's personal. Really. Personal." 

Kevin frowned. "So should I tell Lucy you'll be there or not?" 

"Tell her maybe. It depends." Terry walked off. 

"Terry." 

Terry glanced back. "Later, Kevin. I need to go." 

Kevin nodded. "Just, feel better." 

Terry offered him a weak smile. "Thanks." 

Kevin grabbed his coat. _Wonder what happened to him._

~*()*~ 

"Simon, this is certainly a surprise." Chandler waved to the chair across his desk. 

Simon took it and leaned forward, giving the door a nervous look before folding his hands together and facing Chandler. "Thanks for seeing me. I'm sorry about the whole hostility thing when we first met. Terry said you're a good guy, and you seem to be, so..." 

Chandler nodded. "Well, thanks, I think." 

Simon looked around the room again. 

"Was that all?" 

Simon shook his head. "It's not exactly easy. You know Terry and I are dating, right?" 

"Yes, I think. Is Terry...Dax?" 

Simon hit his forehead. "Right, to you he'd be Dax." 

Chandler frowned a moment. _Figure it out later._ "So this has to do with him?" 

Simon nodded. "First off, you know that last sermon on homosexuality? It'd be a big help if you could give it this Sunday." 

Chandler looked over his calendar. "Well, I did have something else planned." 

"You really need to do it this Sunday." 

"Why?" 

Simon took a deep breath. "Our, relationship will be announced Monday. Through the paper. Terry was interviewed, and well, we decided it was the best way to let everyone know." He met Chandler's surprised look. "It'd be a real help to our corner of Glen Oak if you gave the final sermon this Sunday." 

"Well, I suppose I could push my plans back a Sunday. No real harm." Chandler wrote some notes down. "I'll look over it again." 

"Thanks." 

Chandler waited a few minutes. "Was there something else?" 

Simon turned a little red. "Well, I need your...advice on something." 

Chandler raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be asking your father?" 

"I don't think he can give any more advice. Neither can Matt. It's about sex." 

Chandler leaned back. "I see." 

Simon rubbed his wrist. "You see, yesterday I nearly pushed Terry into, well, having it with me. We didn't, though. I realized it was lust, and if I truly loved Terry, I would respect his wishes. But the problem is, I'm still thinking about it. All the time." He looked at Chandler again, his blue eyes pained. "I've done everything I can think of, Matt can think of, dad can think of. I figured maybe a neutral party could help." 

Chandler tapped his hand against the chair's armrest. _Well, this is...a shock. He's asking me for help. I don't know what he thought I could offer him._ "Well, have you tried staying away from Dax for a while?" 

"Tried it, and it made it worse. I think that's what pushed me enough to ask Terry to have sex with me." 

Chandler rubbed his chin. "Thinking about something that turns you off?" 

"I have images burned in my mind that would give a lot of people nightmares." 

Chandler thought for a minute. "Well, there's one other thing I can think of. Someone I know tried it to help him quit smoking." 

"Did it work?" 

Chandler hesitated. "No. But it might work for you." 

Simon waved his hands. "Fine. At this point, I'm willing to try anything." 

"Have you ever heard of behavior modification therapy?" Chandler opened his desk drawer. 

~*()*~ 

"Eric, hi." 

Eric stepped back. "Come on in, Terry." 

"Thanks." Terry rubbed the back of his neck. "You're not angry at Simon, are you? Or at me?" 

"Yes and no. It's not exactly something you expect to hear from your teenage son." 

_You need to visit big cities way more often._ Terry walked in to the Camden residence. "Well, I know Simon's on restriction for the week, but I wanted to congratulate Lucy on her sermon last night." 

"Oh, she's upstairs. Listen, before you go, did you get a chance to read it?" 

"Your manuscript?" 

Eric nodded. 

"I sent a copy to my brother, too. He agrees that it's pretty good. It could use a few touch ups, but to summarize, your symbolism and subplots are beautifully intertwined with the overall story." 

Eric blinked. "Well, thanks. That's a very nice compliment." 

"That's the edited version. When I told Jordon that you probably got the idea to write it from the book he gave you, he made some rather crude remarks." 

Eric let out a short laugh. "Oh, that sounds like Jordon. So you liked it?" 

"For the most part. If you printed it, it'd make a great supplemental income. Write a couple more, and you could probably get a steady second income from book sales." 

Eric's eyes lit up. "Now there's an idea. I'll think about it." 

"I know a publisher through my mom." Terry started up the stairs. "Just give me a call." 

"I will. I'll send your brother a card, too. That book of his was a big help." 

Terry smirked and headed up the stairs. _Just what I need. My aniki's ego inflated even more. _He went up to the attic and knocked on the bedroom door. "Lucy?" 

"Terry. Hey." Lucy smiled and scooted away from her desk. "Come on in." 

Terry walked in and sat on Ruthie's bed. "I heard your sermon yesterday. Congratulations." 

"Thanks. It was the best I could come up with, considering the time crunch." 

"Yes, I heard how you got the job." Terry shook his head and crossed his arms. "Chandler isn't the enemy, Lucy. He's just trying to keep the seat warm until your dad returns." 

"It still rubs me the wrong way." 

"You shouldn't let it get to you. And after what he pulled yesterday, I should hope that message was received loud and clear." 

"It was, belie-hey!" Lucy crossed her arms. "Alright, who sent you?" 

Terry chuckled. "No one. It's just my advice." 

"Huh." Lucy eyed Terry over. "So, is it true?" 

"Is what true?" 

Lucy dropped her arms to her sides. "What else? What happened, or didn't happen, between you and Simon yesterday." 

Terry picked up a book on Ruthie's end table and glanced at its back. "That's not really any of your concern, Lucy. It's private." 

"Oh come on. We know something happened. Why else would Simon be on restriction? And I'm the one who heard him moaning a couple of nights ago." 

Terry looked up at her. "Does Simon ask you about what you do with Kevin when alone? After all, you must dream about him." 

"That's different." 

"No it isn't. While I'm a very open person, what goes on between Simon and I, especially in regards to that, is private. Until Simon and I agree to disclose anything, if we have to, it's between us, and no one else." 

"Dad knows." 

"A couple people know, but they have legitimate reasons to know." 

"I'm your best friend." 

"You're also Simon's sister. I doubt he'll want to hear what you and Kevin do on your honeymoon." 

Lucy pulled back. "I'd never tell him something like that. It's none of his business." 

Terry tilted his head. 

Lucy slumped in her chair. "Alright, point taken." 

"Thank you." Terry glanced at his watch. "Anyway, I'll catch you around. And please tell Kevin sorry about yesterday. I just wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone after, well, you know." 

"Sure, I'll give him the message." Lucy furrowed her brow. _Kevin didn't mention he ran into Terry yesterday._

Terry smiled and left. 

Lucy turned back to her homework. _Very curious. Kevin may be trying to get along with Terry, but he wouldn't not tell me if they hung out. Or would he? If it was about the engagement..._ She tapped her pencil against her desk. _Perhaps that's it. _

~*()*~ 

"Hey." Terry wrapped his arm around Simon's waist a planted a quick kiss on his lips before stepping out the door. "Catch you at school." 

Simon smiled, somewhat surprised at seeing his boyfriend at his house. "Definitely." He waved as Terry mounted his bike and headed off. _That was nice. Wonder what he was doing here._

"Simon, you're a bit late coming home from school." 

Simon winced and set his bag down on a nearby chair. "Sorry, mom. I had to run a quick errand." 

"Oh? And what was it?" Annie set down the socks she was folding and crossed her arms. "You're supposed to come straight home from school." 

"I know." 

"What's going on?" Eric walked in and stood by his wife. 

Simon gave his dad a quick, pleading look. _This isn't something I want to talk about with mom. Come on..._

Annie glanced between her son and husband. "What? Why do you keep looking at him?" 

Eric got the message. "I, ah, think this has to do with what happened yesterday. Maybe I should handle this." 

Annie threw her hands up. "Fine, deal with it." 

Simon picked his bag back up and headed upstairs. He could hear his father behind him. _I still feel embarrassed, but at least dad's a guy. Mom shouldn't know about...that stuff._

Eric closed Simon's door after they were in his room. "If you went to Terry's house, I am going to be upset." 

"I didn't go to Terry's. I'm not stupid enough to violate restriction for that. One week apart is enough." Simon set his bag on his bed and sat next to it. 

Eric crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "So where did you go?" 

"The church. I needed to talk to Chandler." 

Eric's brow furrowed. "Because...?" 

"I need help, dad, and I need someone who can be a little more objective than my family." 

"Since when did Chandler know that you and Terry were a couple?" 

"Since he read the sermons on homosexuality." 

Eric let out a rough sigh. "So what did you tell him?" 

"I just asked if he might know a way to help me stop thinking about sex all the time." 

"Why not ask me?" 

"Dad, we've been over that, remember? Everything you thought of didn't work." Simon pulled his jacket off and rolled up his left sleeve. 

Eric tilted his head. "Why is there a rubber band on your wrist?" 

Simon shrugged and looked at it. "Chandler suggested I try what some smokers or other addicts try and do. Behavior modification. Every time I start really thinking about Terry and sex," He snapped the rubber band against his wrist "ow, I do that." 

"Self injury isn't the best way to go." 

"Look, it was either this, psychiatry, or electroshock therapy. I'd rather try this than the other two. My life is enough of a fishbowl that I don't want someone digging around the only real privacy I have, and shocks don't sound too appealing. This is a nice, safe, experiment." 

"What will you tell everyone at school?" 

Simon pulled his sleeve back down. "I'll figure out something. It's my life, dad. I've been trying everything we can think of, and it's done nothing. I'm willing to try this, and nothing's going to change it." 

Eric sighed. "Fine, alright." He held up his hands. "You do whatever you think is best. Just be careful you don't hurt yourself." He opened the door and left. 

Simon pulled out his homework and looked through his binder. _They don't have to be so protective. I'm a man, I don't need them watching my every move. And one day I am going to come home, and Terry and I will have been together. They just have to get used to the idea. I can't marry him, but I can be with him. I won't let them deny me that pleasure...whenever it comes._

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Ototou: little brother 

Aniki: big brother 

Urusai: shut up 

Baka: idiot 

Kouhaku: amber 

Bakayaro: jerk 

Moshi moshi: hello 

Hentai: pervert 

Author's Prattle: Finally cranked this one out. Not easy, but as it turned out, I was able to fit it all into one chapter without having to introduce any foreign elements. To those of you that wanted Terry and Simon to get it on, remember, the fic, she is still young! Okay, bad pun. But also remember this is PG13, so it won't be too gritty. For those of you who don't get the title, afterglow is "the comfortable feeling following a pleasant experience," often the term used on television when asking why a person looks so good after sex (or implied sex). 

There so many things I could apologize for, so I'm going to make a blanket apology. If I've offended anyone, well, if you've read this far, I probably haven't, but in the off chance I have, to appease the FF.N administrators, I apologize. I'll also stick the disclaimer here. 7th Heaven, its characters and settings don't belong to me. They are owned by Brenda Hampton, Aaron Spelling, and numerous others in the Hollywood business. Nor do I own "Oh My Goddess!" It is a hilarious manga/anime that belongs to Fujishima Kousuke. .hack//sign is also not mine, but a recent anime (with great music, I'll be putting some of it in later chapters) that belongs to Pioneer and Kazunori Itoh. I also don't own "The Flight of the Bumble Bee," that orchestral piece was created by Rimskij-Korsakov. 

As for chapter twenty-five, that will be slightly delayed. I'm working on an anime fic with another friend (I'm co-author), so I'll be writing that for the next week or so. Not to worry! I'll be back and posting before you know it. After all, the community is about to learn the truth about our favorite couple. Until then, please enjoy, and reviews are welcome! 


	25. The Closet Door is Wide Open

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

__Chapter Twenty-Five: The Closet Door is Wide Open 

"And so we finally come to the basic question: is homosexuality a sin? Should we be prejudice against same-sex relationships? Should we punish them for following what they feel in their hearts? Many of you may automatically think yes. But why? Because the Bible proclaims it's wrong? We've been over passages that have been used to condemn homosexuality, and found that there's nothing that specifically damns the practice. 

"But what about what all the people on television claim? What about all those sicknesses and troubles homosexuals bring us? We must remember that not everything we hear is true, and that sometimes only a biased version of a story has been related to us. Yes, even from our own news organizations. Just because they report rising disease among the homosexual masses doesn't mean it isn't also happening among African Americans, or Asian Americans, or even Caucasian Americans. We must think outside of the stereotypical depiction of gays and lesbians. We must accept them for what they are: people trying to live their lives. 

"Why am I preaching this? I am a man of God, and should be preaching its condemnation. But that is just it. A man of God, not God himself. God is the only true judge, and if we judge homosexuality, we are then committing a sin ourselves. What if the love between two boys or two girls is how it's supposed to be? What if God intended that love to blossom, and we crush it because it makes us uncomfortable? Are we so arrogant to assume that we know what is absolutely right and wrong? 

"The answer is we can't be, and we shouldn't be. Love is love, and how it manifests is out of our control. Instead of fearing and worrying about homosexuality as a sin or disease, let us focus on the fact that two people have found their soul mate, and while it may not be traditional to us, we should accept their love for what it is. Let us remember that the Bible teaches us to forgive and to accept. Let us accept homosexuals as individuals, and remember that come the time of judgment, their actions will be weighed equally with our own. 

"Please remember that gays and lesbians may be around us, but afraid to admit it or come out because they fear retribution. Let us extend our hand and offer our support to the individuals with enough courage to stand up and say 'I'm gay,' and pray that the example we set will be followed by others. We cannot change world opinion, but perhaps here, in our small community, we can make a difference. 

"Let us pray..." 

~*()*~ 

Simon raised his eyebrow at the colorful cyclone of the store before them. "What's this place again?" 

"Jamba Juice. A fruit smoothie bar or something." Terry shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "Catherine at work suggested it. Though she is a bit of a health nut." 

"Fruit smoothes?" 

"We could go grab some coffee if you don't feel up to trying anything new today." 

Simon waved his hands. "Naw. Let's give it a shot. Who knows, maybe it's better than coffee." 

Terry chuckled. "That'd be blasphemy to my brother." 

"Well, he's not here, is he." Simon stepped forward and opened the door. 

Terry walked in. "No, he's not." His shoulders slumped slightly. 

Simon mentally hit himself. _Stupid. He still misses his brother too much to tease about that. Change the subject._ He looked up at the menu. "So, uh, what should we try?" 

Terry followed Simon's gaze. "I have no clue." 

Simon crossed his arms, reading over the descriptions. "Chandler's sermon was nice." 

"Don't tell him I said this, but it would've been more evocative coming from your father." 

Simon nodded. "That's because he'd have been speaking for us as well as trying to communicate a point." He nodded to the cashier. "I'll try the Razzmatazz." 

"Citrus Squeeze." Terry reached for his wallet.  
"I've got it." Simon pulled out some money and paid for the drinks. 

Terry took a seat at one of the counter stools. "I would've been happy to pay for it." 

"You always pay for everything." 

"You're on an allowance." 

"I do odd jobs here and there." Simon tapped his fingers on the counter as he took his seat. "Granted, that's maybe two or three times a year...but still, I make financially sound moves. I'm fine." 

Terry nodded and watched the attendants mix the ingredients for their drinks. 

"I know that look. What aren't you telling me?" 

Terry sighed and faced his boyfriend. "Well, I have a couple jobs that would be good for you, but I didn't want to hurt your pride by offering them to you. I thought you'd want to find jobs on your own." 

"Are you kidding? Business is all about connections. There's no insult from getting jobs from friends." Simon leaned forward. "So, what are the jobs?" 

"One is kind of, well, personal. Earlier this year my business manager told me to diversify my funds, due to the economy and stock market. While I'm good at handling money, I'm not that good." 

"So you want me to do it? Terry, I'd love to. I've always wanted to work with stocks." 

Terry sighed through his nose. "But can you handle money that, well, belongs to me? Can you be professional about it?" 

"Terry, you know me. When it comes to monetary decisions, I don't let feelings get in my way." 

"True, how very true." 

"Order's up!" 

Terry grabbed the drinks and gave Simon his. "Alright. I'll give you my manager's number so you can set up a meeting." He sipped some of his drink through the straw. "Not bad." 

Simon puckered his cheeks slightly. "A bit sour." 

"You want some of mine?" Terry held out his cup. 

"Maybe later." Simon stood and headed for the exit. "So what's the other job?" 

Terry followed and leaned against the door, pushing it open. "Remember that proposal I made to the Student Government? The one I've been working on since they approved?" 

Simon nodded. "Yeah." 

"Well, it's a fashion show fundraiser." 

"Really? That's pretty cool." Simon looked at his smoothie, and glanced at Terry. "You want to try?" 

Terry shrugged and took a sip, looking up at the sky. "Trade you." Again, he held out his Citrus Squeeze. 

Simon took it and took a small bit to taste. "Alright." 

Terry drank a bit more of his new smoothie. "Any who, it's never been thought of here before, but up in Northern California it's the fundraising event of the school year." 

"So you presented it and they loved it. So you want me to be in it?" 

Terry wobbled his hand. "Kinda. The Government has yet to find a treasurer for it, and, well, the first person that came to my mind was you." 

"Treasurer?" 

"It's not really a paying job, but I thought it'd be something you could enjoy, and since you'd be working with a few local clothing shops you could form some connections." 

"Handling money is handling money. When'd they ask you to find a treasurer?" 

"Oh, about," Terry looked at his watch, "forty hours ago." 

Simon shook his head and sat on a bench across from Pete's Pizza. "I'll tell them first thing Monday that I'm in." 

Terry bit his lip and took his place beside him. "Speaking of Monday..." 

"Hmm?" Simon watched as some girls walked by across the street, glancing at them. _We're gay, and we still attract the girls like flies to honey. I have to admit, I will miss the attention somewhat._

"Maybe we should skip school Monday." 

Simon's head turned sharply and his brow furrowed as he examined Terry's face. "Why?" 

"Well, the article's out today. We should let our peers, not to mention our teachers, get used to the idea of us being gay. And you should prepare for some...isolation for a couple days at least." 

"I think we'll be fine attending. They have today to process the truth, and I think some people already suspected." 

"What they suspected and what is are two very different things. Friends you've had through high school you'll find suddenly don't know you. I've seen coming outs before, Simon, and just like with the family, it can be far more devastating that you think." 

"I think I know my friends, and if they can't accept me for who I truly am, then they aren't really my friends." Simon shook his drink, then tossed it into a nearby garbage can. "As for my teachers, why would they treat me any differently just because they found out I'm gay?" 

"Just trust me, it happens." Terry handed Simon his drink. 

Simon tossed it away as well. "I still think we should go. We have to face them eventually, and if we put it off for one day-" 

"Then we're letting the truth sink in and avoiding a possibly volatile or emotionally devastating situation. It took your family days to fully adjust to the news, and even longer to get comfortable with the truth. This is going to be happening wide scale, with people who don't love you. It will be more difficult in some ways." 

"But won't it also be easier because a lot of people don't care about me or you, and they're not friends?" 

"Those people can become bigots overnight. I've seen it happen." 

Simon leaned back and watched another group of people walk by, again looking at him and Terry. 

"See? It's already happening. People change when they learn the truth, and not always for the better at first." 

"So what do we do for the day?" 

"I could come over and hang at your house, or you could come over to mine." Terry shrugged and ran his fingers through Simon's blond locks. "You could come over tonight and we could make a night out of it." 

Simon blushed slightly and reached over to snap the rubber band on his wrist. _Behave, behave, he means snuggling, nothing more._ "Well, I'm not sure mom and dad," he paused a moment, "well, mom won't let us do that." 

"Sleeping over at my house? Or skipping a day of school." 

"Skipping a day of school." 

"How many days have you missed thus far?" Terry glanced at his watch. "If you haven't missed many days, she has no reason to object." 

"Oh, I think she'd find more than a few reasons." Simon sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Alright, we'll skip tomorrow." _At least I'll be able to finally catch up with my English reading._

"Right." Terry looked around. "So, where is Annie this afternoon?" 

"Where else? Home." 

~*()*~ 

"You want to what?" 

"Skip school tomorrow." Simon leaned against the wall. Terry had returned to his home to receive a call from his brother, leaving Simon to face his mother alone. "Terry feels that we should give everyone a day or so to let the truth sink in." 

"And you agreed with him?" Annie set the twins' lunches on the table. 

"Well...not initially, no. But he has done this before, and I remembered that you guys needed time. The Colonel still isn't totally happy with it. One day might not be enough, but it might avoid some of the initial reactions we could run into." 

Annie cleaned up the counter a minute, then nodded. "Alright. I guess one day won't hurt, as long as you're not missing any tests." 

_Now for the next step. _"Well, um, would you also mind if I stayed over at Terry's tonight? He thought it would give you guys a bit of a break." 

Annie looked at her son. "Are you sure that's wise?" 

Simon stood up and crossed his arms. He had figured out earlier that week that his father had told his mother about his sexual difficulties. _I can't believe he told her. At least she hasn't tried to talk to me about it._ "I'm doing fine, mom. Nothing's going to happen." 

Annie pursed her lips. "It's okay with me if your father thinks it's okay." She pointed at him. "But if anything happens, you're going to be in so much trouble you'll wish the students had gotten to you first. Clear?" 

"Very." Simon nodded at Ruthie as she came down with the twins and quickly retreated up the stairs. _Sheesh. I can handle myself. And if not...well, Terry can._

Ruthie looked up after her brother. "Is Simon in trouble?" 

"Not yet." Annie set to making Ruthie's lunch. 

As Simon arrived upstairs, he caught his sister's arm. "Luce, you seen dad?" 

Lucy shook her head. "Not since I got home, no. He might be in the living room. That's where he was this morning." She pulled away and headed towards the kitchen. 

Simon looked at the ceiling and went down the stairs again, petting Happy as he passed the front door. "Dad?" 

"Hmm?" Eric set one of the twins' toys down and looked at his son. 

"Terry and I are missing school tomorrow to give everyone some time to get over the initial shock, so he invited me to stay over tonight. Can I?" 

Eric sat up and raised his eyebrow. "Who said you could skip school?" 

"Mom. She agreed that it would be best, but she left the sleep over up to you." _Probably so that if something did happen, she couldn't be held completely responsible. Sometimes I wonder about their parenting skills._

"A sleep over. At Terry's. Are you sure that's wise?" 

Simon groaned and hit the back of his head against the wall. _Not again._

~*()*~ 

"You invited him to sleep over? Is that wise?" 

"Aniki, urusai. The behavior modification is working, and I can control myself. More than you, anyway. And you never got this cautious whenever a model slept over." 

"That's because one, you're gay and wouldn't have sex with her and two, I could've gotten lucky." 

"Hentai." Rich looked over the drawing he was working on. "I think I'm going to have to get more red." 

"Picture with blood, huh?" 

"Good guess." 

"I know you like my favorite book." 

"Oh yeah?" 

"Of course. You're my brother." 

"Alright, prove it." 

"Fine. Let's see, on page eighty-two there's a tiny coffee stain above the third paragraph, and page one-hundred and-" 

"No, no. Forget it." Terry erased one of the lines. "You sure you can afford this? Long distance can't be cheap." 

"Half the time I reverse the charges." 

"What?!" 

"Kidding, kidding...sorta." 

Terry growled. 

"Now don't be like that. I sent you a package the other day." 

"You did? Why?" 

"A simple 'I miss you' gift." 

"I miss you too. Most of the time, anyway." 

"Har har." Jordon paused. "I love you." 

"I love you too, aniki. This mean you have to go?" 

"Yeah, I've got work. Talk with you later." 

"Ja ne." Terry heard his brother hang up, then reached over and turned off the phone. _Here's hoping Simon can stay tonight. This house is too big for me alone. It gets lonely._ He rubbed his arm and glanced around the living room. _Maybe I should sell it and move to my mom's apartment. _He sighed and went back to working on his art project. _That's something I'll have to keep in mind come summer. _The phone rang, and he reached over and hit the speaker. "Hi, moshi moshi?" 

"Terry? It's Simon. I'll be over around five?" 

"Sure. You want me to cook, or take-out?" 

"Why don't we decide when I get there." 

"Alright. Love you." 

"Love you too. Later." Simon hung up. 

Terry listened to the silence a moment. _Love...am I making a mistake all for the sake of love?_ Snapping out of it, he turned the phone off once more. 

~*()*~ 

"Mm..." Simon rolled over and nuzzled his pillow. _I haven't slept that good in a while. _Squinting his eyes open, he watched the steady rise and fall of Terry's chest. _Nothing happened. I told mom she didn't have to worry._ He closed his eyes again and stretched his neck. _Mom and dad have no idea what it's like, having him as a boyfriend. He doesn't care if we just sleep together, no sex or anything. Why can't they understand his views? It's a form of affection, a sign of love, nothing more._ He settled down and opened his eyes again. _And he's just beautiful when he sleeps. Well, he's always beautiful, but his form is beautiful._

"Mornin." Terry's eyes cracked open. 

Simon blinked. "You're awake?" 

"Mm...sorta." Terry arched his back as he stretched and scratched his head, his golden eyes blurry and unfocused. "I felt you move and took a guess." 

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." 

"S'okay." Terry leaned forward and planted a kiss on Simon's cheek. "Sleep well?" 

"Yeah, thanks." Simon waited for Terry to pull away. "Um, Terry?" 

"I'm awake, I'm awake." Terry yawned and slowly rolled onto his back, rubbing his eyes with the knuckles of his hands. "When I don't have any pressing morning appointments, I'm quite the sloth." 

"I'm beginning to see that. You didn't used to be." 

"I used to have to take care of aniki." 

_That makes sense._ Simon rested his arm across Terry's chest and scooted closer. "You miss him, don't you." 

"Yes and no. Times like this, no." Terry yawned again and rubbed Simon's arm. "Other times, though.,." 

Simon nodded. "I miss Matt, too." 

Terry lay there for a bit, staring at nothing. After a minute his arm snaked over and wrapped around Simon's shoulders. "Well, shall we greet the day? Or just lie here a bit longer." 

Simon shrugged. "I'm happy just lying here." 

Terry smiled slightly and faced Simon. "Then we'll lie here a bit longer." 

~*()*~ 

"Yes. Yes I know. Alright. Thank you." Annie hung up the phone and shook her head. "No wonder Simon got out of the house. That's the third call today asking if it's true." She finished packing Ruthie's lunch. "At least he's going through it at Terry's house." 

"Terry's number is unlisted." Lucy opened the fridge and looked through it. 

"Great." Annie sat at the table and rested her chin on her hands. "Hopefully most people will be able to accept it." 

"You're kidding, right? It took you, what, almost two months to fully accept Simon as he is?" 

"But the general populous shouldn't care like I do about him." 

Lucy nodded. "True, but there'll be a handful that are close to or know him, and it's that handful that he and Terry are worried about." 

"I suppose." 

Lucy patted her mother's shoulder. "Don't worry. Considering high school and this town, something more interesting will come up in no time and their relationship will be part of the status quo." 

"You're kidding right? Do you know how many girls Simon alone will have to deal with?" 

Lucy briefly remembered all the girlfriends Simon had had. "I think it'll be fine." 

"He's with a model." 

Lucy bit her lip. "Okay, so maybe it'll last longer than the usual disruption, but still, eventually it'll be accepted." 

"The question is how long that eventually is." 

~*()*~ 

Simon stretched and absorbed the sunlight. It was nearly noon, he had just gotten dressed, and was stepping outside for the first time that day. _I've got to stay over at Terry's more often. He really knows how to just relax._ A set of joggers went by, glancing briefly at the blond teen. _Let them stare. Everyone knows, and frankly, I don't care. If they don't like me because of my sexuality, that's their loss._ He lowered his arms and scratched his chest. _We should've just gone, shown everyone that we're not afraid of them, that we don't care what they think. He's my boyfriend, and I love him. Heh, guess that's why I caved in to his request to not go today._

Terry shut the door to his house and shrugged on his jacket. "You got everything?" 

Simon smiled back at Terry and picked up the bag he had set on the ground. "Yep. Are you sure I have to go back so early?" 

"I've still got to go to work. Everyone there already knows I'm gay, and had a pretty good idea it was you I was dating." Terry put on a helmet. 

Simon walked over to the motorcycle. "I thought we could spend some more time together, maybe go out for lunch." 

Terry looked to the sky a moment. "I'll try and swing by for dinner, but some of these new companies don't quite grasp the concept of time. They believe it's endless." He pulled on some gloves and got on the bike. "Besides, we can share lunch tomorrow at school." 

"No we can't." Simon pulled out the keys to his car. "You said you were going to spend lunch in the art room to catch up what you missed today." 

Terry wrinkled his nose. "Damn, you're right. Well, then tomorrow dinner, definitely. I just have to get dismissed from a jury summons and I'm free." 

_Jury summons? Oh yeah, he's eighteen._ Simon headed for his car as Terry started the bike. _Wait, didn't Lucy get one of those too? _Waving as Terry drove off, Simon climbed into his car and set the bag in the passenger seat. _Dinner tomorrow. We haven't had hamburgers for a while. Maybe we could go to the Pool Hall. Now that everyone knows, it doesn't matter if we're seen._ He started the car and looked to see if anyone was coming. _I'll see if he wants to go. We could leave at about five--no wait, I have to take Happy for her check-up. Better make it closer to six._ Simon drove off and headed for his house. _Ugh, the vet. That place isn't much better than the doctor's. At least I don't have to worry about needles there._

~*()*~ 

Annie knocked on her son's door. "Simon? There's someone here to see you." 

Simon glanced up from his math book and pulled off his earphones. "Who is it?"  
"Jim." 

Simon raised an eyebrow and got off his bed. "Jim?" _We haven't talked that much since, oh, I think Morris was still here when we last spoke. Morris..._ Simon sighed. He hadn't realized it at the time, but he had formed a bit of a crush on the senior, especially due to Terry's absence that month. _I wonder what he's up to now. _

Annie headed for Lucy's room. "He's out back." 

Simon nodded. "Thanks." He hurried down the stairs and went out the back door. "Hey, Jim." 

Jim was sitting at one of the picnic tables, and nodded to Simon. "Hey." 

Simon considered sitting next to him, then opted to sit across instead. _He might be uncomfortable sitting next to me right now._ He looked Jim over. The football player was still overweight, but he had grown taller, and managed to tone some of his body mass into muscle. "So what's up?" 

Jim sat there for a few minutes, his brow furrowed. Finally, he faced Simon, his face slightly contorted. "Why didn't you tell me?" 

Simon blinked, surprised for a moment. "Why didn't I tell you...I'm gay?" 

"Yes! You couldn't tell me, your friend, but you could blab it to a newspaper for the whole world to know?" 

Simon sat back a little. "It's not that I couldn't, it's just, well, I didn't. Jim, coming out isn't easy, and I wasn't sure how to tell you, to tell anybody for that matter." 

"You told your family, obviously. And you've told some people. Cecilia knew." 

_Cecilia._ Simon ground his teeth a moment. "Cecilia found out by accident. I didn't mean to tell her, and in the heat of an argument, I did." 

"So why couldn't you tell me? I'm your friend, Simon." 

"I didn't know if you'd remain my friend if I told you. I've heard enough coming out stories that I didn't want to lose anyone." Simon sighed and rested his arms on the table. "When I was first finding out, first exploring who I was, I didn't want anyone to know. Not even my family knew. And once I did know I was gay, over time, I let my family know." 

"But not your friends? Tell me, did your family receive you warmly?" 

Simon winced and looked down. "No, not really. But," he looked back to his friend, "Terry was there, Terry helped me get through it, and he helped my family realize that my being gay didn't change who I was. I love him Jim, and no matter what, I can't change that." 

Jim sat straighter. "You love him? What on Earth do you see in him?" 

"Well, he's beautiful, intelligent, kind-" 

"You could've had anyone, Simon! Any girl in the whole school! Probably any boy, too! Why'd you have to choose him?!" 

Simon frowned. _What?_

Jim pounded his hands down on the table. "Damn it, Simon! Why'd you choose him?!...why didn't you choose me?" 

Simon's gray eyes widened so much he thought they would pop out of their sockets. _Did he just say--he couldn't have! I couldn't have heard him right!_

Jim closed his eyes and hunched his shoulders. "Why couldn't you have chosen me? I love you, Simon." 

Simon nearly fell off the bench he was sitting on. "Jim, you? But, I mean, you never gave any indication that--I didn't know." _Stupid! That was lame, even for you._

Jim wiped a tear that had strayed and finally faced Simon again. "My size wasn't the only reason I became a football player. I thought if I joined a...manly sport, I'd lose these...feelings I'm not supposed to have." 

"Jim I," Simon rubbed his head, "I had no idea you were gay. If...if I did, I might've gone to you when I began questioning my sexuality. But that doesn't mean it would've ended in us dating, or us falling in love." 

"I'm still in love with you, Simon. Ever since that day you refused to leave me behind. You didn't care that I was hurt or overweight or anything. You saw me for the person I was, and that's what I fell in love with." 

_Terry's told me that too._ Simon bit his tongue to prevent blurting that out loud. The situation was awkward enough as it was. _Think, think, how can you get out of this gracefully._ He didn't want to hurt Jim, or lose him as a friend, but there was no way he could allow this crush Jim had to continue. _I'm in love with Terry, and I don't think anything could change that. But how do I tell him that without crushing him completely?_

"I knew that, well, you were straight, and we could never be a couple, but I still hoped that you would question yourself like I did, and that we would get together." Jim's shoulders slumped. "And by the time I find out, you have a steady boyfriend." He went silent, either lost in his thoughts, or waiting for Simon to say something. 

Simon decided he should respond. _I guess it's best I go with some honesty. _"Jim, I...don't know what to say, or even what I should do. You're a great friend," he reached out and touched Jim's wrist, "and I'd hate to lose you. I could help you come out if you wanted, or Terry could. But, you and I," Simon shook his head slowly, "it can't be. I love Terry, with all my heart." 

Jim pulled his arm away from Simon and slowly stood up. "I see." 

Simon stood as well. "I won't tell anyone, if you don't want me to." 

Jim nodded and turned away from Simon. "Thanks." He started to walk towards the gate. 

"Jim!"  
Jim paused and glanced back. 

"I'd still like to be your friend." 

Jim sighed through his nose. "We'll see, Simon. I don't know if I can be friends with you. I probably can't, not while I'm in love with you." He continued walking and left the Camden's backyard. 

Simon stared after him, then slowly sat on the edge of the table. _Jim. My friend. Was in love with me the whole time...and I never noticed. _He hung his head. _Dear Lord, what am I supposed to do? I love Terry, but I don't want to lose my friend. What should I do? Please, help me realize what I have to do._

~*()*~ 

"Hey Luce." 

Lucy glanced around and smiled weakly when she spotted Terry sitting at a nearby table. She took a seat across from him. "So you've gotten summoned to jury duty too, huh?" 

Terry nodded and closed the book he was reading. "Yeah, second time. I got called right after Halloween last year, and this year, well, I don't know how my name came up so quickly." He shrugged. "No matter. I should be out of here in an hour or two, tops." 

Lucy shook her head. "Don't count on it. Just because you're a student doesn't mean you're going to get excused." _Unfortunately._ She glared at the desk clerk momentarily. 

Terry chuckled and shook his head. "No, I know that. Granted, they're more lenient with high school students, but I use a better excuse." 

"Your work? I doubt models get special dispensation." 

"Nope." Terry crossed his arms. "My mom's a reporter. Therefore, by default, I'm biased. Personally, I'd love to try jury duty one day. It's our civil service, but I doubt it'll ever happen." 

"How does your mother being a reporter get you out of jury duty?" 

"It's along the same lines as if your husband or brother were a police officer or a judge. They assume that because you're related to certain parties, you're influenced by said parties." 

"But your mother doesn't belong to any sort of law party." 

Terry winked. "How true. She belongs to an even worse one: the media party. The courts are always afraid media relations are either biased to their relation's views, or they're at the trial to get an inside scoop for the news." He crossed his arms. "It also helps that my mother was once thrown out of a court house."  
Lucy raised her eyebrow at that. "She was? For what?" 

"Trying to tear my father's throat out, I believe. Or was she thrown out because she was in a media-banned trial?" Terry rubbed his chin. "One of them she was simply cited and escorted off, but one she was literally kicked out of." 

Lucy's jaw dropped as she tried to picture herself, her mother, just about anyone getting kicked out of a court house. 

Terry nodded at her stunned expression. "Yeah, I know. If heredity is real, I'm so screwed." 

"Mr. Jordon!" 

Terry looked up and raised his arm. "Yo!"  
"Dismissal granted. See you next year." 

Terry sighed and stood with his book. "At least I got to catch up on my reading a bit." He patted Lucy's shoulder. "Good luck." 

"Thanks." 

Terry smiled and headed out. 

Lucy rested her head on the table. _Never, ever, be in Glen Oak if his mother ever visits again. She's sounding crazier and crazier. Though it's not as if my mom's much better..._

~*()*~ 

"So he's been moping in his room?" Terry rested his arms on the counter and munched on a piece of lettuce. 

Annie moved the salad bowl away from the teen. "Yes, ever since he came home. He won't talk about it either, but it seemed to start yesterday after he talked to Jim." 

"Jim...Jim..." Terry shook his head. "I don't think I know him." 

"He's a friend of Simon's, or at least he was. Maybe his coming out ruined that friendship." 

Again, Terry shook his head, and he stood up. "No, Simon's stronger than that. This must be something else." 

"Whatever it is, he's not telling anyone. He won't even talk to Lucy about it." Annie glanced at the oven timer. "Could you try and find out what it is? And do you want to stay for dinner?" 

"Simon didn't tell you? We're going out." 

Annie sighed and looked at the ceiling. 

"Um, unless you'd rather we eat here." Terry slowly backed away towards the stairs. 

"No, no. Go on out." She waved and went back to making dinner. "I work hard to make a nice dinner, but who's around to enjoy it any more? Not Lucy, noooo. She's out with Kevin. And Simon's always out with you. And Eric, well..." 

Terry decided to retreat up the stairs before she noticed he wasn't listening any more. _Something tells me she's got some unresolved anger towards Eric that's not being communicated to the intended party. Hopefully that psychiatrist Eric's seeing will help solve this. If not, well, I guess I should offer to let Simon stay over more often. _

"Hey Terry. Is dinner ready?" 

Terry shook his head. "You don't want to go down there right now, Ruthie. Believe me." 

"Is she upset again." 

Terry nodded. "Oh yeah." 

"Ruthie!" 

Terry and Ruthie exchanged glances at the sound of Annie's voice. Ruthie ran for her room, while Terry hurried for Simon's. 

Simon blinked when Terry suddenly came into his room. "I know we're dating, but I would still like it if you knocked." 

Terry chuckled and rested against the door. "Sorry. Annie's on the rampage, and I didn't want to be in the hall when she appeared." 

"Not again." Simon grabbed his jacket. "We'll sneak out the front. If we're lucky, she'll be too preoccupied with someone else to notice us." 

"Probably." Terry rubbed his arm. "Before we go, are you okay? Annie said you were moping." 

Simon shrugged on his jacket and walked to the door. "Yeah, I'm fine. Come on. If we hurry we can just miss the rush of the dinner crowd."   
Terry furrowed his brow, but opened the door and followed Simon out. _You're hardly fine. We'll talk over dinner. _

~*()*~ 

"So how was your day?" 

"Hmm?" Simon swallowed the french fry he was chewing. "My day?" 

"We didn't run into each other at school. How was your first day back being gay?" 

Simon sighed and dunked another fry into some ketchup. "Okay, I guess. Some people just..." 

"Don't get it. They're upset, they avoid you, they look at you like you were evil incarnate." 

Simon nodded. "Yeah. But I'm the same guy. No one here has treated us differently." 

"We're clients here." Terry pushed around his own fries. "We're customers, paying customers." 

"Yeah, that's true." Simon watched a waitress walk by. "Some people didn't even mention it. They just kinda...ignored me. But they never paid attention to me before, either. So that wasn't so bad." 

"And your friends?" 

Simon shrugged and drank some of his soda. 

"Do you still have friends?" 

"Of course! I mean, Glen Oak is rather conservative, but all, well, most of them understood. They know I'm the same guy." 

"That's good to know." Terry pushed his fries away and rested his arms on the table. 

"How was your day?" 

Terry wobbled his hand. "So-so. I'm already somewhat of an odd man out due to my modeling and AP status. The students in my art class didn't give any indication that my being gay made a difference." He rubbed his chin. "I did get a few menacing glares from a number of girls." 

"Because you were gay, or because they were hoping to go out with you?" 

"Six to one, half dozen to the other." Terry sipped some of his soda. "To be honest, I didn't notice much of a change. Then again, I'm pretty much used to it." 

"Lucky for you." Simon ate a few more fries. 

Terry glanced around the room again. "There was this one student, a guy named Jim," 

Simon choked on his food and began coughing, grabbing his drink to try and force the food down. 

Terry raised an eyebrow. _So Annie was right. Jim was the problem. But why?_ "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah," Simon coughed a few more times and took another sip of soda. "I'm fine, just fine." He took a couple deep breaths. "You wanna play some pool?" 

Terry blinked at the sudden change of subject. _Avoiding confrontation._ "I...guess. I haven't played in, oh, it must've been nearly half a decade. Maybe longer." He stood up and headed for a free table. 

Simon caught his breath and followed. _Jim talked to him? Why? I didn't think he'd...he'd talk to Terry. What would Terry think? For that matter what do I think? I don't think I can answer that yet._ He picked up a cue as Terry racked up the balls. "You want to break?" 

_Give him a bit before getting back to Jim._ "I guess. That's where you break up the triangular set, right?" 

"Yep." Simon slid a cue to his boyfriend. _What am I going to do about Jim? He's my friend, and I don't want to lose him, but how can I keep him without dating him?_

_Ask Terry._

__Simon ignored the tiny voice that spoke up in his head. 

_It must've happened to him once or twice before. Maybe he has a solution you haven't thought of._

_No. I'm a man. I can handle this._

_Then why haven't you? _

_Because...because...it's like a female friend who says she likes you, only you don't like her that way, and you're dating._

_You never solved that problem, either._

_...damn it, just shut up! _

_You know I'm right._

__"Simon?" 

Simon blinked. "Huh? I'm...sorry. I was lost in thought." 

Terry gave him a worried look and squeezed his shoulder. "Anything you want to talk about?" 

Simon shook his head. "No. I...it's something I need to figure out myself. Let's just...Terry, where are all the balls?" 

"That's what I've been trying to ask you for the past couple minutes. What happens if I sank them all in a few hits?" 

Simon raised his eyebrows. "You really haven't played in years." 

Terry shrugged. "I remember it's a game of geometry and force, and you try and get all the balls into the pockets." 

"Your brother taught you to play, didn't he." 

Terry chuckled. "Good guess." 

Simon began collecting the balls. "Let's try again. This time, I'LL break, and instruct you how to properly play." 

~*()*~ 

"I had a nice time, Terry. Thanks." Simon leaned forward and kissed Terry. 

Terry held Simon, enjoying the intimate contact. _Still have to talk, though. _He pulled away and held Simon's hand. "Simon, we need to talk." 

Simon's brow furrowed and he led Terry over to the backyard table. "What about?" 

"About, and please don't clam up, about Jim." 

Simon sat a little straighter and looked away from Terry. "He's just...a friend I'm having a fight with." 

"A fight that's been bothering you. You've been brooding all day, Simon. Annie's worried, and so am I." Terry squeezed Simon's hand. "I love you, and I want to help." 

"You can't help. You're the problem, Terry. Don't you see?" Simon looked up at the sky. 

Terry tilted his head. "You're fighting because we're a couple?" 

"No, well, yes, I mean," Simon sighed through his nose. "I don't want to talk about it." He pulled his hand away. 

"I do. And if it's not me, eventually Annie or Lucy or Eric will push you to talk about it. If you want to talk about relationships with someone, wouldn't you want it to be me?" 

"Not in this case, Terry. Look," Simon stood up, "I love you, and I don't want there to be secrets between us, but I don't want to talk to you about this! This isn't something I can talk to with my boyfriend!" 

Terry remained seated and looked away, biting his lip. 

Simon's shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes. "Terry, I'm sorry, it's just-" 

"I understand." Terry stood and rubbed his arm. "Sometimes there are demons we have to face alone. I'm just worried about you." 

"I know, and I'll tell you eventually, but right now..." Simon stuffed his hands in his pockets. 

"It's alright. I won't bother you about it any more." Terry leaned forward and kissed Simon on the forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow." 

Simon snagged Terry's arm and pulled him back for another kiss. 

_Tell him. He can help._

_I'm not listening._ Simon pulled away and let Terry go. "Love you." 

"I love you too." Terry smiled slightly and headed out. 

Simon watched him a moment before turning and going inside. 

_You should've told him._

_Why? It's my friend, not his. I have to deal with this. A man doesn't dump problems on his lover._ He headed upstairs. _That's what family's for._ Glancing around, Simon headed up to Lucy's room. 

"Luce?" 

"Hey, Simon. Have a nice date?" 

"They were kissing for about a minute. I'd say so." 

Simon glared at Ruthie a minute. _Must she snoop? _He shook his head. _Focus! Deal with Ruthie later._ "Luce, can I talk to you in my room?" 

Lucy nodded and hopped off her bed. "No problem." 

"Thanks." Simon went back down the stairs and into his room. 

Lucy closed the door after she entered. "So what's up?" 

Simon crossed his arms and thought. "Do you...do you think it's possible for two people to be friends if one of them is in love with the other?" 

Lucy furrowed her brow and grabbed the desk chair to sit down in. "You mean like between a boy and a girl." 

"Not, um, exactly." Simon rubbed his arm and sighed. "You see, after I came out, a...friend of mine said he didn't mind me being gay because HE was gay. He just didn't like that I was with Terry. I still want to be his friend, but," he shook his head, "it sounded like he wouldn't want to be my friend as long as I'm dating Terry." When Lucy remained silent, Simon wondered if she'd fallen asleep. When he looked up, though, he saw her just staring at him. "What?" 

Lucy snapped out of her stare. "Nothing, nothing. Just...surprised, that's all." 

"So how can I keep him as my friend without him thinking I'm leading him on?" 

Lucy fiddled with her hair. "If my experience with Mike Pierce is any indication, you can't. Eventually it'll blow up in your face and there'll be nothing you can do about it." 

"But maybe it'll be different with me, though. I mean, we've been friends longer-" 

"It doesn't matter how long you've been friends, Simon. His feelings are going to still be there, and being with you while knowing you're unreachable will hurt him even more. Your best bet is to try and, well, end the relationship on a good note." 

Simon ran a hand through his hair and rocked back and forth slightly. 

"Simon?" 

"You know, I knew my coming out could result in a loss of friends, but I never thought it'd be because one of those friends had a crush on me." Simon rested his head in his hands. "When did my life become so complicated?" 

"I think it happened the first time you kissed Terry." Lucy got up and sat beside Simon, rubbing his back. "But you have to keep in mind, this could've happened if you were straight and were friends with a girl." 

"I don't think it would hurt so much, though. He's been a great friend. I couldn't have made it through high school without him." He let a slow breath out of his nose. "I really don't want to end it." 

"But you have to. For his sake more than yours. You can't just ignore his feelings." Lucy hesitated a moment. "Have you told Terry about this? He might have a suggestion." 

"No, I haven't, and I don't want you to tell him, either. This is something I have to figure out and fix myself." Simon rubbed the back of his neck. "Does that sound kinda stupid?" 

"Yes and no." Lucy patted Simon's shoulder. "Terry might be able to help you come to terms with losing this friend. He's dealt with this more than you have. At the same time, though, you feel like telling him would prove that you can't handle situations regarding your orientation by yourself." She folded her hands in her lap. "A rock and a hard place." 

"Thanks. That makes me feel a whole lot better." Simon rubbed his face. 

Lucy watched her brother for a minute. "Do you want to know what I would do?" 

"Please." 

"Well, I would tell him that you couldn't be friends right now, but maybe after he was over you, you two could get back together and just hang out." 

"I don't think he'd want to ever see me again, even after he got over me." 

"That will depend on him. Offer him your friendship in the future, but break it off now. That's all you can do." 

Simon bit his lip, but nodded slightly. "You're right." 

Lucy smiled and stood up. 

"Thanks. For listening, I mean." Simon tilted his head up. "You won't tell Terry, will you?" 

"No. I'll leave that up to you. I would suggest you do, though. At the very least, he can offer you some comfort." She left the room. 

Simon stared after her, then fell back on his bed. _I hope so. Ending my friendship with Jim is not going to be easy._

~*()*~ 

Simon rubbed his hands and glanced around nervously. That morning he had called Jim and asked to speak with him at lunch. Lunch was now half over, and Jim had failed to show up at the tree they had agreed upon. _Did he get detention? Or is he just going to...brush me off? He shouldn't, though. This is difficult for me, too. _He sighed and leaned against the tree, staring at his book bag. _Maybe I should've let Terry handle it._

"Simon?" 

Simon looked up and gave Jim a weak smile. "Hey. I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show." 

"I thought about not coming, but decided I couldn't." Jim crossed his arms. "So what did you want to talk about?" 

Simon stood up and put his hands in his pockets. "I," he paused a moment, "you caught me by surprise the other day. It came out of nowhere, and I wasn't too sure what to do." 

Jim dropped his arms to his sides. "Yeah, I guess I did sort of ambush you. I was so upset, though. I still am." He rubbed his arm. "I still really like you, Simon, and I don't think we can hang out as long as you're with Terry-" 

"I agree." 

Jim blinked. "I...see." 

Simon took a deep breath. "I think we should...go our separate ways. I mean, if you ever want to talk or hang out, I'll be there for you, but if being my friend right now is only going to hurt you, then we shouldn't be friends." 

Jim stared a Simon a moment. "You...mean that?" 

Simon nodded. "I hope that, maybe someday we can be friends again. Right now, though," he put out his hand, "all I can do is say goodbye...and good luck. I hope you find someone to love just as I have." 

Jim looked from Simon to his hand, and eventually shook it. "Thanks. I...I'll see you around." Jim pulled his hand back and adjusted his backpack. 

"Yeah. Later." 

Jim turned and walked off. 

Simon went back to leaning against the tree. _That...wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Why? He was one of my best friends. Why was it so easy for me to let go?_

__"Was he the demon?" 

Simon tensed momentarily, but remained still, staring at the ground. "You like to sneak up, don't you." 

Terry leaned back next to him and shrugged. "I don't always mean to. I like surprising people sometimes, but in this case I just wanted to see if you were okay." 

Simon glanced at Jim's retreating form. "I think I am. And yes, he was the demon I had to face." He looked at his boyfriend. "Did Lucy tell you?" 

"No. I saw you two across the yard." Terry went silent, eyes closed as he rested in the shade. 

"Don't you want to know?" 

"Your demons are your demons, Simon. Whether you share them with me or anyone is your choice." Terry looked at Simon and smiled. "We all have secrets, even some that we keep from the ones we love. I won't pry." 

Simon stared at him a minute, then leaned down and picked up his bag. _My family would hound me until they found out what was going on. It's kinda...refreshing not to be pressured. _"Thanks." 

"Simon?" 

"Yeah?" Simon strapped on his bag. 

"I love you. With or without secrets." Terry ran his hand through Simon's hair. 

Simon smiled. "I love you too." 

Terry pushed off from the tree and put his hands in his pockets. "I have a study hall next period. AP was canceled. You want to come?" 

_Blow off History or hang out with Terry. _Simon smirked. _No contest there._ "Sure." 

Terry started waking towards the school. 

Simon walked alongside him. "When you said that we all have secrets, does that include you?" 

Terry winked at his boyfriend, but said nothing. 

Simon's raised his eyebrows. _So there are still things I don't know about him. That's kinda nice. Every relationship does need some mystery to keep it interesting..._

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Aniki: older brother 

Urusai: shut up 

Hentai: pervert 

Ja ne: later 

Moshi moshi: hello 

Author's Prattle: Ahhh! Gomen Nasai! *bows multiple times* I'm so sorry that this chapter took so long to get out. I hit a week with three tests, two quizzes, and a major project due, and by the end my creative juices were completely drained! I went for a full week just staring at the comp screen going "write anything you idiot" and coming up with dren. Finally I got my juices back, but unfortunately they were directed at the wrong show (FYI: I've started and X-Men Evolution fic). Then my laptop went screwy on me, so I couldn't access my work for a couple days, and I saw the X2 movie (I know what's going to happen in X3...hehe) that got me going on a short Pyro fic. On top of that I've got to get ready for YaoiCon and decide what fics to submit for the fanfic contest (thoughts and opinions on "Angel's Night" and "Twin Novae" would be very much appreciated). 

Now, I know this chapter was extremely long for a filler (I tried to deviate from the coming out theme from previous chapters), but I hope I was able to convey an interesting enough twist that you still like it. Sadly, I have finals starting this week and continuing through next week. I also want to get a little bit more done on the X-Men Evolution fic, and then I have two weeks vacation. I know I will definitely be writing a ton in June (start summer semester with history...bleh), but I don't know when chapter 26 will be out. I'll try and rush it along, but no guarantees. Sorry. But I WILL continue. I have lots planned for our favorite couple. 

Disclaimers: The usual ones. I don't own 7th Heaven or the characters (if you don't remember Jim, think back to Simon's first day of high school). They belong to Brenda Hampton and Aaron Spelling. I also don't own Jamba Juice (though they have some cool drinks). Don't know who owns them, but I'm willing to bet in a few years Starbucks will consume them. 

Right. I believe that's everything. Oh, reviews are always welcome. Until next time! *goes to watch Slayers Try* 


	26. Romantic Insecurities

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

__Chapter Twenty-Six: Romantic Insecurities 

"So you'll be there?" 

Terry glanced back at the studio, waving at a cameraman who was scowling towards him. "I help you get the ring, I'm Simon's boyfriend, and Lucy was the first Camden to accept us." He crossed his arms and faced Kevin. "I'm not going to miss the single event that she's been waiting all her life to happen. It's all she's been talking about." 

Kevin nodded. "Good, good. Listen, um, my mom's gonna be there, and she doesn't know that, well..." 

Terry shook his head. "Forget it, Kevin. Simon and I are officially 'out.' If she doesn't know, she'll figure it out soon enough. Besides, I'm not missing a chance to dance with Simon, especially when he's dressed up. I've been wanting to waltz since Halloween." 

"Dax! Hurry it up!" 

Terry rolled his eyes. "Kevin, I'll be there, I'll be with Simon, and we'll introduce ourselves to your mom if you want. Now, I have to get back to work, otherwise Dean's going to rip out my kidneys." Patting Kevin's shoulder, Terry turned and half jogged back to the photographer. 

Kevin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He was finally getting around to accepting Terry and Simon, and he was about to introduce his mother into the equation. Ben was still wary around the two boys. _Though that's probably due to the nightclub thing._ Heading for the squad car, he noticed Roxanne watching him. She knew of Terry's homosexuality, but hadn't said much about it, even after he and Simon came out. _Wonder what she thinks about them._

"I still say it's a pity either of them are gay." She opened the squad door and got in. 

Kevin walked around and sat in the driver's seat. "It's not exactly up to us. And don't tell me you don't like them now." 

"No, no, they're nice guys. It's just a pity." Roxanne noticed the time on car clock. "Promenade patrol." 

"I know, I know." Kevin turned the car on and drove off. 

~*()*~ 

"Nani?! You want me to come over NOW?!" 

Jordon pulled the phone away from his ear. Amber gave him a sympathetic look, though he could tell she wanted to laugh at the expression on his face. "Well, there's a festival going on, and school's closed. I get days off, and Amber would love to see you again." 

"Aniki, Lucy is being proposed to TOMORROW and you want me to leave NOW? Do you know what she'd do to me?" 

"Well, maybe not right NOW, but...well, what about the day after Valentine's day?" Jordon blinked. "She's being proposed to on Valentine's day? Kevin's nuts. She'll expect something completely extravagant every year for the rest of their lives." 

"Weren't you going to propose to Sakura on Valentine's...sorry." 

Jordon's shoulders slumped. He was pretty over Sakura, but it still hit home. He saw her the other day at a market, and had to run outside to try not to throw up (much to Amber's annoyance). He couldn't even face her. _Maybe I'm a coward..._

Amber grabbed the phone from his hand. "Teeerrrrrryyy. If you don't come out, we'll come visit you." 

"And the down side would be?" 

"Remember the last time I came by to visit after being gone a few months?" She knew he did. The party had lasted till morning, with the neighbors calling the cops (who Amber got drunk, somehow). Terry had gotten a lot of flack from his mother, and his brother, for that. 

She heard him sigh over the phone. "Alright, Amber. I'll come after Valentine's day. After." 

"Good boy. See you then!" She hung up and tossed the phone back at Jordon. "You just have to know what buttons to push." 

Jordon grunted an affirmative, popping a piece of sushi into his mouth. 

~*()*~ 

"You know, coming over tonight is kinda suspicious." Simon rubbed his arm and glanced out his door, making sure Lucy wasn't nearby. 

Terry was sitting on Simon's bed, a planning calendar open before him and a pencil in his hand. "I already made the plane reservations, but I can't change everything else just like that. I can move some things, otherwise I need your help." 

Deciding Lucy wasn't going to show up, Simon shut his door and crossed over the room, lying down next to Terry, and eyed the paper. "What's this?" He pointed to two weeks in April that had 'L.A. Shoot' with arrows covering all the days. "L.A. shoot?" 

"I, ah," Terry sighed, "I meant to tell you after Valentine's day, but I'm gonna be gone for about two weeks, though I'm gonna try and narrow it to ten days, for a special photo shoot in Los Angeles." 

Simon frowned. "You're going away again?" 

"I already got permission from my teachers, and it's all set. Every model has to do it every two years, and since I didn't go last year..." Terry stroked the curve of Simon's back. 

Simon, though his hormones were more under control than earlier that year, had a few images run through his head as Terry's fingers moved along his shirt. _I wonder what it'd feel like if he did that on my bare back._ He had a feeling it'd be pretty nice, and made a mental note to ask him to do that the next time he slept over. "You have to go this year." He was rather proud that he kept his voice steady. The thought of Terry leaving for two weeks helped calm him from the more intimate images in his head. 

Terry nodded and pulled his hand away, rubbing his chin. "I can't get out of that one. Not unless I have a debilitating disease or a death in the family." He crossed out a meeting in the calendar. "Be sure to remind my financial advisor that I'll be gone when you see him Monday." 

Simon grinned at that slightly. Working on Terry's portfolio was more fun than he had thought, and through the broker, Simon had made a few new contacts who wanted him to review accounts or work with their stocks. _Sometimes having Annie Camden as a mother is helpful She's a great reference._ The fact that he was gay didn't even register with the people he was working with. 

Of course, there was a downside. This Monday, along with his paycheck, he was going to start working with a new client. Someone who worked in janitorial services. He got the job through Cecilia. She was annoying, and still shot Terry poison glares, but she suspected something funny going on with the accounting of her father's work. So, she had asked, and since it was working with money, he agreed. _At least I'll get paid for it._

"And can you handle the fashion show rehearsal this week? The teacher knows I'll be gone and is covering all but Thursday. Since we're so close to show time, we can't just drop a rehearsal, so-" 

"Terry, it's fine. I've watched you during rehearsals. I think I can handle it." Simon rubbed his head. "What about your test Wednesday? Don't you have that Calculus chapter test?" 

"I think I can miss one test. I haven't missed one yet." Terry shrugged and crossed out the test in his calendar. "I think all that leaves is work." 

"Should I substitute for you?" Simon grinned. 

"Hmm...tempting," Terry leaned down and kissed Simon briefly, "but no. I'll just call and cancel. So I lose a week of work." He shrugged. "Won't kill me." 

Simon sat up so he was sitting next to Terry. "So is that all the issues we need to discuss." 

"I believe so." Terry closed his planner and tossed the pencil back onto Simon's desk. "So what do you wanna do now?" 

Simon simply closed the distance between them and kissed him again, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend. _If you're gonna be gone, we have to make up for the time we're not going to have. _

~*()*~ 

"Wow. No wonder Simon likes you so much." 

Terry simply shook his head. He hadn't worn a tux in a while, but he was pleased that he hadn't outgrown it. _I think I lost the baby fat, that's why the arms feel more roomy._ "Thanks, Ruthie, I think." He squatted and straightened the coat on David. "You look nice too." He stood back up and ran a hand through his hair. He had gotten a hair cut that morning, shortening it slightly. _Hope Simon likes it._ "Oh, Simon said we should be over in the next five minutes. Let's get going." 

"Right. Come on you two." Ruthie took her brothers' hands and lead them outside. 

Peter Petrowski, Ruthie's new 'boyfriend', made to follow, but Terry grabbed his shoulder. "One moment." 

Unlike Ruthie, Peter hadn't yet become comfortable with the idea of Terry being gay. He shook the hand off, but looked up at the teen. "Yeah?" 

Terry eyed the boy, then crossed his arms. "Slow down." 

Peter's brow furrowed. _Slow down? What's he mean?_

Terry picked up on his confusion. "With Ruthie. I don't mind her dating, but you're moving way too fast." 

Peter snorted. "And you would know?" 

"More than you." Terry headed for the door. "And don't call her 'honey.' What seventh grader calls someone 'honey'? It just sounds weird." 

Peter opened his mouth to respond, but Terry had already started towards the Camden house. _Damn, who's he to tell me what to do? Especially since he's gay. He doesn't know anything about dating._

Terry made a mental note to keep an eye on the Petrowski kid. He was okay, but he was getting too close to Ruthie too fast. _Look at me. I sound as bad as Matt was with Simon._ _On the other hand, 'honey'? That's just wrong._ Putting on a smile, he planted a quick kiss on Simon's cheek as he arrived. "Ready to go?" 

"Just a minute." Simon hurried to the fridge, not noticing the twins following him, and pulled out a simple lapel rose. He blushed slightly, but went back and held it out. "It's not a dozen, but I made it. Happy Valentine's day?" 

Terry chuckled and took it, putting it in his jacket, and noting that it matched one Simon was wearing. _So everyone knows we're together._ Rather than the traditional red, both of them had white roses. "You made it yourself?" 

"Well, I got a few pointers from mom." Simon glanced around the room, noticing that Happy had left him. _Probably napping. I'll play with you a little when we get back._ Due to the twins' birthday, Valentine's day, and Kevin's surprise, he had failed to pay much attention to his pet. "So, we ready to go?" 

Terry nodded, and headed for the car. They had opted for his car, in the hopes that Lucy wouldn't recognize it if she got too close to the parking lot. 

Simon herded the shorter people out, grinning as he noticed the twins had given Ruthie two corsages. _Cute, guys. Terry said you could have your gift when you got back. That should make any boredom you have tonight worthwhile._

__With that, Simon locked and shut the door. 

~*()*~ 

"He really went all out." Terry watched Bobby Short at the piano. He had already taken Simon once around the floor, surprised Kevin's mother, and now he and his boyfriend were taking a time out, resting for a bit. 

"Yeah." Simon pushed the remains of his food around his plate. 

"Something wrong?" 

Simon bit his lip. _Other than you going away after the most romantic day of the year and we're not celebrating our love alone tonight, nothing._ He knew it was a selfish thought, and he was happy for Lucy, but he was hoping for a nice, quiet evening at Terry's house. He wasn't about to spoil the mood, though. "Just thinking about how your stocks in the meat market are starting to decline." 

Terry laughed and patted Simon's arm. "You and money. I shoulda let you at my stocks months ago." 

Simon smiled a little at that. And he hadn't told Terry a lie. It just wasn't the whole truth. 

"You mind if I dance with the woman of the night?" 

Simon glanced at Lucy, who was chatting with Mrs. Kinkirk. "Naw. She probably needs to be rescued." 

"Thanks. I'll save the next slow one for you." Terry stood and headed over to the two women. 

Simon set his fork down picked up his drink. _Well, at least we get some time together before leaves. And the dancing isn't bad, though I did step on his feet a couple times..._

Meanwhile, Terry cleared his throat behind Lucy. "Mind if I cut in?" 

Lucy smiled at her future mother-in-law and set her drink down. "Not at all." She took Terry's hand and shuffled over to the dance floor. "Thanks for being here. Can you believe all he's done?" 

Terry simply started dancing. "Pretty impressive." He twirled her around before continuing. "So, Lucy Camden, you've just been proposed to by the man of your dreams. What are you going to do now?" 

"Hmm. That's a tough question." Lucy's grin was still in place. "Well, get my brother's boyfriend to cheer him up." 

Terry blinked and glanced over at the table he and Simon were at, noticing how downcast the blond teen was. "Damn. He's really upset I'm leaving." 

"You're leaving?" Lucy stopped dancing. "As in forever?" 

"What? No!" Terry shook his head. "I'm going to visit my brother tomorrow. And then a couple weeks later I have to leave again for work." 

Lucy started dancing again, slowly. "I thought you meant leaving him, or going away to college." 

"That's not something I'd tell him today." Terry's eyes narrowed for a few minutes. "I'd better give him a delayed Valentine's gift. Something to remind him how much I love him." 

"Didn't you two make out like mad last night?" 

"Making out does not necessarily transmit love. Kissing can be used for multiple meanings. No, I need to get him something special." Terry stopped dancing, crossing his arms. "I'm...gonna cut this dance short to be with him. You mind?" 

"Not at all." Lucy started looking around for her fiancé. 

"He is happy for you, Luce. We both are." 

"I know. When you two finally tie the knot, Kevin and I will be just as happy." 

Terry snorted. "If we can ever tie the knot." He strolled back over and took his seat again, leaving Lucy to find Kevin. "Hey. Come on, I won't be gone that long." 

Simon blinked. "I didn't-" 

"Simon, I love you. You really think I don't see how down you are?" _I would've eventually noticed without Lucy...but no need to mention Lucy sped the process along._ "Come on." He stood up. 

Simon tilted his head. "Where-" 

Terry grabbed his arm and hauled him up. "Come on." He led Simon out of the room towards another ballroom, one that was empty. Terry shut the door behind them and took a seat on the steps. 

Simon sat down next to him, looking around the place. "Why'd you bring me here?" 

"So we could talk in peace." Terry folded his hands before him and stared out the window. "Why is this so upsetting to you?" 

"It's not so much upsetting as...as..." Simon rested back on his elbows. "You said this year would be about us, but here you are leaving, while I'm stuck here." 

"Is here so bad?" 

"Not when you're here. Terry, do you know that I'm going away to college? There's no way I'm sticking around like Matt or Lucy. I'm leaving, I've got to get out of here." Simon looked at the floor. "Just like you are." 

Terry's head snapped to face his lover. "Is that what this is about? You're afraid that I'm leaving at the end of the semester?" 

Simon nodded again. "That means we have little time, and...and I want to spend it with you, only I've just got three weeks less." He sniffed. _Don't cry, not today. Lucy would be worried and it'd ruin her night._

Terry leaned over and kissed Simon, slowly, reassuringly. He reached up and wiped away a tear from Simon's cheek, and his other arm wrapped around Simon's waist. He waited until he felt Simon relax in his grip before pulling away. "I love you Simon, and nothing's going to tear me away from you. If I go away to college, I'll be back every chance I can. I'll e-mail, I'll write, I'll phone. I won't forget you, and I won't let you feel abandoned." He stroked Simon's hair, keeping his golden eyes locked with Simon's watery blue ones. "But that's an if, Simon. Don't worry about ifs. Don't think about it, don't ponder the worst case scenarios, just don't. I. Love. You. And no matter how many times I go, I'll always return to you, for you." 

Simon licked his lips, managing a simple whisper for fear of his voice cracking. "O-okay." He was glad that he didn't feel like crying any more, except from elation, and Lucy would understand that. He held them back, though. "I love you too. I'm sorry...I just..." 

Terry simply held Simon closer, kissing him again. "I know. We just have to make sure our time together counts each and every time." 

Simon nodded, resting his head on Terry's shoulder. He remained silent for a while, just soaking in the warmth and comfort of his boyfriend. "Why do you love me?" 

Terry's eyebrows raised, but he didn't make any other moves. "You're smart. Kind, gentle, generous. You know what you want in your life, who you want to be with, where you want to go." He squeezed Simon briefly. "You're also very nice to cuddle with, cute, a great kisser, and warm in bed." 

Simon felt his ears turn a bit red, but he didn't get as embarrassed as he used to. _He says it all the time. I just...don't really listen._ He rubbed Terry's wrist slowly. "You're confident and strong. You're not afraid to speak your mind, but you can do it tactfully. You're protective, loving, and wise." Simon shifted his legs to keep them from falling asleep. "You're also understanding, even when others wouldn't be." He smirked. "You've also got a great body and the softest lips I've ever placed mine on." 

Terry chuckled. 

The two remained there for a few more minutes, then Terry broke the silence. "We should get back. We've got to bring the twins home, after all." 

"Yeah, I know." Simon sighed and sat up, wiping his face to make sure all the tear stains were gone. "I'm curious to see what's going at the party, anyway." 

~*()*~ 

David, wearing his pajamas, looked up expectantly at Terry. "So what'd you get us?" 

"Yeah, what'd you get us?" Sam, wearing an identical outfit, glanced around the room. 

Simon crossed his arms and leaned on the door frame. Terry had taken him and the younger guests at Kevin's proposal home. Ruthie was hanging out with Peter. _I agree with Terry. He rubs me the wrong way. He's too...familiar with her._

Terry chuckled and popped into Simon's adjoining room, coming back with a box wrapped in metallic blue paper. "Now, this is from Jordon and myself." He set the box down between the brothers and backed up, resting against the wall next to Simon. "Simon'll help you set it up tomorrow." 

Simon raised his eyebrow. "Me?" 

Terry winked at the blond. "You'll see." 

Simon shrugged and looked back to his siblings, watching them tear the paper away with little grace. Both his eyebrows raised as he caught the words 'planet' and 'stars' on the side of the box. _What is that?_

The twins, having pushed the paper away, clearly had the same question as they looked up at Terry for an explanation. 

"It's an at-home planetarium. You put it together, plug it in, and it's ready to go." Terry bent down and picked up the used paper. 

Simon shook his head and clapped his hands. "Alright you two, time for bed." He helped the twins into their beds and tucked them in. He met Terry at the door and turned out the light. "Night, guys." 

"Night, Simon." 

Terry chuckled as Simon closed the door. "Whenever they talk together I'm reminded of the children of the corn." He headed for the stairs, one hand holding the shiny paper from the gift. 

Simon followed him. "Isn't that a little old for them?" 

"Naw. I was fascinated with Jordon's when I was, oh, I was younger than them." 

"I'm guessing it was Jordon's idea." 

"Pretty much. But it's more fun than you'd think." Terry tossed the trash into the can under the sink. He smiled when Simon's arms slipped around his waist and he felt his boyfriend rest his head against his shoulder. 

"I'm gonna miss you." Simon closed his eyes, just enjoying the feel of holding Terry. He liked to do this when he slept over at Terry's; to just pull him close and feel his warmth. It always gave him a sense of comfort. _And I'm going to miss three weeks of it._ _At least they're not all at once._

Terry turned around and wrapped his arms around Simon's chest, holding his boyfriend. "I'll be back before you know it." He kissed Simon's forehead. "You won't even notice I'm gone." 

_I doubt that. _Simon simply offered Terry a soft smile. Terry had reassured most of his fears, but he knew that no matter how much they talked, he would miss the physical interaction. Especially when they shared a bed. His hold tightened around Terry's waist. _One day, when I can get out of this city, away from this family, I'm going to be with Terry, and never let him go. Ever._

~*()*~ 

Simon tapped his pencil against his binder, zoning out the teacher at the front of the room. Terry had been gone three days, and had only managed to call once (from a phone booth, from the sounds in the background). He had told Simon that he'd be a bit busy to call, but he'd keep trying. Unfortunately, Simon wanted to talk with him now. Actually, he needed to talk to someone, anyone. And no one really had time for him. 

Kevin was busy with work and keeping Lucy calm. Lucy was going nuts planning the wedding, with Mom looming over her plans. Dad, well, Dad was still out of the loop on so many levels. And he still refused to listen to other people's problems, even if the other people just wanted to talk. Ruthie was dealing with something or other, and didn't want to talk with anyone. He even couldn't call Matt, because he was too busy with his intern work and school. 

He bit his lip, glancing at the clock. _Another forty minutes. I'm going to go nuts._ Simon rubbed his head, closing his eyes for a few moments. _Maybe I should try doing what Lucy does._ Everyone teased Lucy about her journal. Even Simon thought it was amusing, until Terry said it wasn't that funny. 

_"Journals are a person, a sounding board, with things that could never be said to another person. Sometimes journals help people get through troubled times, and sometimes they're used to keep thoughts and feelings that couldn't be expressed except in writing."_

After that, Simon had apologized to Lucy and told Ben and Kevin to back off. They didn't understand, but for a time Lucy was his journal, someone he could tell his feelings and secrets to, without fear of someone else knowing of them. Lucy deserved her own private place, and if they ever violated it again, he would make them sorry. Ben had laughed at that, but Kevin stared, hard, trying to read me. In the end he told his brother to shut up. He knew I was serious, and that this was an important issue. 

_No time like the present to try._ Pulling out a sheet of binder paper, Simon started writing. 

~*()*~ 

"A journal?" Lucy raised an eyebrow. "You're writing in a journal?" 

Had it been anyone else, Simon knew he would've blushed. Since it was Lucy, though, he simply closed the book and shrugged. "Well, everyone else was busy, and since Terry can't talk with me right now, I thought I'd give it a shot." 

Lucy took a seat on the desk chair. "And?" 

"I think it'll be helpful when Terry's away." Simon rubbed his arm and sat up on his bed. 

Lucy sighed. Simon hadn't said it, but she knew Simon meant more than just the two weeks Terry spending in Los Angeles. "I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. It's just...planning this wedding." She grumbled. 

"Why don't you ask Kevin for help?" 

"It's not his job." Lucy shook her head. _Perhaps it's a Catholic thing. _She doubted it, but there wasn't much she could do about it. _I should have another talk with him. _

Simon frowned, but remained silent. He wanted to know why Kevin was refusing to help, but it wasn't his wedding, and he wasn't as nosy as Ruthie. He'd wait until Ruthie heard something. He decided to change the subject, help Lucy get her mind off the planning. "So, watcha need?" 

Lucy pushed aside her thoughts about Kevin and sat back, folding her hands together. "I'm taking a break, and I realized I hadn't talked with you in a while. So I thought I'd see how you were doing without Terry." She nodded towards the journal. "Anything in there you want to talk about?" 

Simon tilted his head, thinking a moment. "Well, there's something not quite right with the numbers on my latest job. I think Cecilia was right about her father's company, though I'll have to check a few more details before I can give an accurate report." He couldn't give up too many details, but there was something fishy going on. The expenditures of the clients for the company matched what was recorded in the books, but the bank statements and deposits failed to match up with either of the other numbers. So either there was a massive accounting error on the bank's part, or someone was stealing from the company. _And it's been going on for years, years!_

"That's it?" 

Simon blinked. _Right. Lucy._ "Um, no." He thought a moment. "School's okay. Nothing much going on there. The main thing is I miss Terry." His shoulders slumped. "I mean, it's only a week, but I'm missing him." 

"Because he could be going away at the end of the semester, so any time you don't have him around is raising your anxiety." Lucy crossed her arms. She may not be an expert on homosexuality, but she was pretty knowledgeable about relationships. "You're afraid of losing him. And every time he goes away, you feel you're going to lose him for good." 

Simon sighed through his nose. "Way to make me feel better." 

"But it's true, isn't it?" 

Simon searched his thoughts, and nodded slowly. "Yeah. He says he'll keep in touch, but considering how long-distance relationships work out in this family, I don't have much faith." 

"You should. This is Terry. He's done a lot for you, and I doubt he'll let your relationship just fail. He loves you a lot." 

Simon pulled his pillow up and hugged it, resting his chin on its top. "I love him too. I love him more than I've ever loved anyone else." 

Lucy nodded. "He probably feels the same way. Trust in that feeling. It'll help you." 

Simon closed his eyes. "Thanks." 

"No problem." Lucy glanced at her watch. "It's about dinner time." She stood up. "You coming?" 

"I'll be down in a few minutes." 

"Alright." Lucy left Simon's room. 

Simon looked at his journal, staring at the cover. Then he set the book in his desk and locked the drawer before heading down to eat as well. 

~*()*~ 

"So, Terry, what'd you think of the rehearsal?" 

Terry shrugged, untwisting his arms. Visiting his brother had gotten him re-interested in Yoga. _Need to keep flexible, after all._ "It looked fine. Keep in mind my family has a tendency to...just marry." 

Simon pulled Terry's arms apart and grasped one of his hands. "In other words, they elope." 

"I don't really get the big ceremony. If you're in love and want to be married, then do it. You want a big ceremony, do you really need a rehearsal? You only need to memorize your vows." Terry smiled at Simon. He had to leave immediately afterwards for the L.A. shoot, but he was going to be here for the wedding. They'd made up for lost time in the past month, hanging out, making out, going to movies, dinners, and generally spending time with one another. 

Simon squeezed the hand he was holding. 

Lucy, picking up the tail end of the conversation, rested against a pew. "You have to remember you also come from a small family. For us, a wedding can't be simple because there's so many people showing up." 

"Point taken. But I'm sure it'll be fine, Lucy. After all, how can a wedding go bad? Unless you're Mrs. Robinson." Terry took in the blank looks from the two Camdens. "Okay, I guess neither of you have ever seen 'The Graduate.'" 

"No. Why?" Simon had seen the cover for that tape once or twice. His parents had watched it every now and then. 

Terry coughed. "We'll rent it next time you spend the night at my place." 

Lucy made a mental note to ask Kevin about it. 

Simon ran his free hand through his hair. "So what was Gabrielle doing here?" 

Terry furrowed his brow a moment. _Ah, the Colonel's maid...or something._ "She's here?" 

Lucy nodded. "We're all hoping it's not a bad omen." 

Terry decided to keep quiet on that comment. "Any who, I want to get home before the storm gets any worse." He kissed Simon on the cheek. "See you tomorrow." He felt Simon release his hand and he hurried into the rain towards his car. 

This was hardly a horrible storm, or deadly, but compared to some previous years, it was bad enough that Terry didn't want to risk riding his motorcycle in it. Simon squinted when he saw a car light go on. _He made it._ "Alright, we're up next. Ready to run?" 

Lucy glanced back at the alter, then nodded and put up her umbrella. 

~*()*~ 

Alright, Simon had to admit to himself he was curious. Not so much in what Lucy and Kevin were doing, but in what would happen when either of the to-be-wedded realized that the family was listening in at the door. He also felt a bit ashamed. Here he was, soon to be seventeen and a graduating boyfriend, listening in with the rest of his family basically for porno. He didn't voice that, though. He didn't wanted to be grounded for the next week or two. 

A few minutes later, Lucy came out and shooed us away. Simon ended up in his dad's bed, how or why, he wasn't sure. He noted that his father didn't even get tense or give him an odd look. _He's really comfortable with my sexuality, as long as I don't have sex._ Simon felt, more than saw, the twins join them on the bed a few minutes later. _They never cared I was gay, and dad's not afraid I'm going to 'turn them' gay_. Even now, after all this time, small things like these reminded Simon he was really a lucky teen because his family was so understanding. 

Something else was nagging him in the back of his mind, though. Something regarding his father. _He's going back to the church tomorrow, but...why?_ "Dad?" 

Eric looked up from his twins and met his son's face. "Yeah?" 

"I know you're going back to the church tomorrow, but" Simon's eyes moved back and forth, "but if you're going back for the wrong reasons, you shouldn't." 

"The wrong reasons?" Eric propped his head up on his arm. 

"If you're going back for Lucy, then don't go back. But if you're going back because...because you know it's your calling, then I don't have a problem." Simon rubbed his eye with a fist. "If you are just going back for Lucy, though, I...I won't be able to consider you an, well, I won't be able to respect you." He licked his lips. "It's not that I'll lose my religion. But I will lose my faith in you." 

Eric sighed. It was an issue he had been wrestling with himself. Was he going back because he knew he belonged at the church? Or was he going back to make Lucy happy. _Six to one, half dozen to the other._ And when he was honest with himself, Eric did like helping people, helping them get past their problems and realizing the right thing to do. He might not have the energy he used to, but he could pass on his knowledge, his talents, to Chandler and Lucy. No, he wasn't going back just for Lucy. He did want to rejoin the church. 

"Dad?" 

"Don't worry, Simon. I'm going back for myself as well as Lucy. I want to be back." 

Simon nodded. "Alright." He put his head down, closing his eyes. "Goodnight, dad." 

"Night, son." Eric watched his middle son fall asleep, before surrendering to sleep himself. 

~*()*~ 

"Dragon Slave!" 

Kevin raised his eyebrow as the animated heroine blasted a dragon. "And your parents let you watch this?" 

"Well, at home we don't even get the International Channel." Simon shifted in his seat. "But Terry and I watch a lot of things we can't at my house. He recently introduced me to something called Farscape. It's pretty cool." He and Kevin had come over to Terry's house immediately after breakfast, to ensure the bride and groom didn't see each other. That, and Simon refused to watch old 'Raggedy Ann and Andy' cartoons. 

"And your parents don't mind?" 

Terry, coming out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, simply rolled his eyes. "Stop being a big brother and take your shower. Simon's nearly an adult, and this stuff is nothing compared to what my brother likes." 

Simon blushed slightly. He had noticed that Jordon had taken most of the pornographic anime, as well as a few others movies he didn't recognize. He was also blushing at Terry's body. He may have had his hormones under control most of the time now, but every now and then Terry did something and he just couldn't control himself, or his body. _Think of something uninteresting. You don't want Kevin seeing that._

Kevin, though, got up and went into the bathroom, not looking back at the blond Camden. "I'll be out in a few." 

Terry waited for the door to close before grinning at Simon and heading for his room. 

Simon groaned and knocked his head against the wall behind him. He really didn't need this. Not right before Terry was leaving again. _Food. Think of food. Yeah, something cold, like milk, or ice cream..._ That was calming him down, until he thought of ice cream on Terry. _Maybe I'm thinking like this because I'm nervous about the wedding. My mind's trying to take my mind off of it. _And it was working. Sort of... 

~*()*~ 

"Well, if that wasn't a Las Vegas wedding, I don't know what is." 

Simon tried not to snort into his drink. He agreed with Terry, that the wedding could've gone a whole lot better, but that it wasn't bad. They were currently at the reception, standing off in a corner. Simon had broke his no alcohol rule and shared some champagne with Terry. A very little amount, barely a quarter of a glass, but still some. His parents hadn't seemed to mind, probably because Terry drank as well, and it was Japanese custom. _Granted, this isn't sake._

Actually, considering how some people had shown up, Simon was surprised more people weren't drinking. Ben was covered in mud, as was Ms. Kinkirk, Chandler, and Roxanne. Those four, plus Matt and Mary had come completely unprepared for this, dressed in common clothes. Simon got bumped up to Best Man because of that. And of course, when the entire Camden clan had burst out they were giving away the bride, no one had bothered to hide their laughter. Even Terry. 

"You look gorgeous, by the way. Have I told you that?" Terry nuzzled Simon's cheek. He wasn't too intoxicated, but the bit of champagne he'd had was affecting him more than he expected. _Guess I should've expected that. I'm used to sake. This is...more powerful._

Simon grinned and wrapped an arm around Terry's shoulders. "A few times. You look nice too." 

Terry set his glass down and nodded towards the dance floor. "Want to go around again?" 

Simon looked out there, seeing who was present. His parents had retired to their table, chatting with Lucy and Kevin. Mary was dancing with Ben, _surprise, surprise._ Matt was sitting at a table, alone at the moment. _I haven't had a chance to talk with him lately. _"Maybe later. I'm gonna talk with my brother." 

"Okay." Terry pulled away from Simon. "Looks like Ruthie needs rescuing from the twins anyway." 

Simon searched the floor and found his youngest siblings hoarding his little sister. _Figures._ "I knew we shouldn't have let them have some cake." 

"Hey, you're only young once. I'll take them out and wind them down a bit." Terry headed onto the dance floor, where Ruthie was searching for someone, anyone to take her burdens. 

Simon shook his head and went over to his brother, sitting in the chair next to him. "Hey." 

"Hey." Matt scowled momentarily and grabbed Simon's glass. "Are you-" 

"Don't, Matt. Just don't. I'm man enough to handle a little bit of alcohol on a special occasion." _This is not how I want to start off._ Simon didn't bother to try to get his glass back, though. "And no, neither Terry or I are driving. So don't start with the speeches on drunk driving, either." 

Matt opened his mouth, then shut it, eying Simon. _He's grown up more than I realized._ "I'm still your older brother." 

"And we're surrounded by people from the police. If they can look it over, so can you." 

Matt looked around the room, spotting Sergeant Michaels and a few others who were friends of Kevin. _Alright. I guess I can let it go. This once._ "Fine, fine. You win." 

Simon crossed his arms and leaned on the table. _Good. Maybe I can get him to see me as more of a man than a little brother._ "So how're things where you are? I haven't talked with you in a while." 

Matt shrugged. "Not bad. Medical school's tough, of course, and my internship is even harder." He thought a moment. "What about you? Last time we talked, you had that...problem." 

Simon felt his cheeks turn slightly pink. "I've dealt with it. Terry and I had a bit of a rough patch a month or so ago." He shifted, in his seat. "I'm...worried that at the end of the year, he's going to go away. I...don't want him to. I'm afraid I'm going to lose him." 

Matt leaned forward as well, setting his arms before him. "Have you told him?" 

Simon nodded. "He said he wouldn't let something like distance keep us apart, but I'm still worried that it will." 

Matt's eyes scanned the crowd, landing on his brother's boyfriend just outside the tent, helping wear off the sugar energy from the twins. "He wouldn't hurt you, I don't think. As uncomfortable as I was at first, I know he loves you. Wherever he goes he's going to try and keep you together." He thought a moment. "He might not even leave for college. What if he goes to Crawford?" 

Simon tried not to snort. "Terry's worked hard to be ready for college. I doubt he's going to settle for Crawford." 

Matt bristled slightly, but Simon did have a point. Crawford didn't stand a chance against places like Harvard or Stanford. _Here's hoping Terry picks a place nearby. If he hurts Simon... _"Well, until he gets his acceptance letters, I'd suggest you just enjoy the time you have together." 

Simon's shoulders slumped. "Yeah. Terry said that too. I'm trying to, but it's still there in the back of my mind." 

"This a private party or you got an opening for sandy-haired cutie?" 

Simon sat up and smiled. "Hey, Terry. We were just talking about you." 

Terry sat down. "Only good things, I hope." 

Matt drummed his fingers on the table. "Well, getting my brother to drink..." 

Terry rolled his eyes. "Come on, Simon. The twins are stuck on your mom so that we can get in one more dance." He stood back up. 

Simon stood and patted Matt's shoulder. "Thanks, Matt. For listening." He went over to Terry and the two headed towards the dancing floor. 

Matt watched them a minute, then downed the little bit of liquid remaining in Simon's glass. _He's growing up far too fast. I just wish I could be here for him._

__~*()*~ 

**Terry left yesterday. He told me he was able to reduce his time away to nine days. Nine long days. And Lucy's on a honeymoon. Well, a long weekend. She'll be back in four days. That's gonna be a bad honeymoon, but Kevin couldn't get more time off and Lucy still has school. That's okay. I'll talk with her when she comes back. I'm sure she'll have something to talk about. As long as it's not about what she and Kevin did on their honeymoon. No one wants to hear about that. **

**I still feel kinda funny writing in you. It's sorta comforting, and you're a great sounding board...**

Simon glanced at the page next to where he was writing, covered in numbers and accounting notations. 

**Well, good at helping me organize my thoughts. Thanks, by the way. Cecilia's father wasn't happy when I told him he was being scammed. At least he caught the thief. But back to the subject at hand, thanks. I think I'll be using you a lot after Terry's away at college. I am so not looking forward to that.**

**I know you don't get it, but my family has a history with long-distance relationships, and none of them are good. Matt and Heather, and Shawna, and probably more than that. Mary and Wilson. Lucy and...pick a guy, any guy. Terry and I have something special, but I don't know if it could withstand the Camden Curse. He doesn't understand why I'm worried. I've explained it, but he just doesn't get it.**

Simon sighed, tapping his pencil against his bedspread for a few minutes. 

**I'm just going to have to try really hard to make sure our relationship stands. I'll try my damnedest to get into wherever he's going and I'm never going to leave him. Just one more year and I'm free. I'm getting outta this town and living with Terry. I just have to make sure our relationship lasts that year we're apart. **

**Huh. Lucy's right. I really do feel better just writing it down. I should've started keeping a journal years ago. It would've helped me during some tough times in my life. I guess I'm growing up.**

Matt knocked on the door and stuck his head in. "Hey, you gonna see me off?" 

"Yeah, just a minute." Simon closed his journal and moved to the edge of his bed, grabbing his shoes. 

Matt stepped into the room and picked up the book. "What're you writing?" 

Simon snatched the book back. "A journal, alright? I usually talk with Terry, but I can't, and Lucy's busy, so I thought I'd give it a shot." He set the book on the far end of the bed and went back to tying his shoes. 

Matt smirked. "A diary?" 

"Journal." Simon finished with his laces and picked up the book again. "Something you can put your thoughts in when they have no where else to go." It was his turn to smirk. "Not that you'd know anything about that, considering how few thoughts go through your head." 

Matt lunged forward and trapped his brother in a headlock, giving the blond a noogie. "Oh really? You think so, huh?" 

Simon struggled against the hold. _I knew he and Jordon talking wasn't a good idea._ He had seen Jordon do this a couple times to Terry during their little mock battles. "Alright! Uncle!" 

Matt released Simon and laughed. "I'll see you downstairs." He left, still laughing. 

Simon growled and straightened his shirt and hair. _Jordon's so gonna get it when I see him next._ Hiding his journal, he hurried after his brother. _Now I understand why Terry had to see Jordon, though. Nothing's quite like spending time with your big brother. _

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Nani: What 

Aniki: Older brother 

Author's Prattle: Gomen nasai again for taking so long, as well as writing a chapter of dren. *sighs* I just didn't have much to work with, and I had to get the year to move along, so this chapter had to happen. Not to worry, though. The next few chapters are planned out, completely cannon from the series, and have a bit more fun. I have midterms, but I think I can crank it out in the next couple of weeks. Oh, for those who didn't get the title, it's a reference to all the romantic things going on in Lucy's life and Simon's insecurities. 

Other reasons I've slowed down posting chapters (for those of you asking me to post more) is because I've increased my fic output. In addition to this, I'm working on an X-Men Evolution fic, a new Stargate SG-1 fic (finished the first one already), a fic challenge, a co-authored fic, and my Ronin fic (I'm so behind on that it's not funny). Thus, being my most developed fic, this one has been put on the back burner more than the others. If I can get a job where I'm at a desk, I might be able to work more, but no promises. 

Disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven, its characters or settings. They belong to Aaron Spelling and Brenda Hampton. I do own Terry, Amber, and Jordon. I also don't own Slayers (what Simon and Kevin were watching). That's a highly funny anime (someone joked about one of my other characters being a male Naga. That had me rolling on the ground in laughter) that's great to watch. It's on the International channel, for those who are interested. Slayers belongs to...well, someone, but certainly not me. I also don't own Farscape, that's a SciFi/Jim Henson thing. I also don't own 'The Graduate' or 'Children of the Corn.' They belong someone else. 

By the by, I am not condoning underage drinking. As we've seen in other chapters, special occasions allow for slight drinking in Japanese cultures, and since Simon's close to Terry...well, you get the idea. This does not mean you can go and drink alcohol at a wedding, funeral, or even your own home. It is a part of a culture Simon is adopting to become closer to Terry. Also, as Simon said, don't drink and drive (well, duh...but I should put it in anyway). 

I believe that's all. Wish me luck on my multiple-essay midterm. As always, hoped you enjoyed, and feedback is appreciated. 


	27. The Prom

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right With the World**

****_By Cypher_

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Prom 

"All she wanted to do was talk about what she and Kevin did on the honeymoon?" 

Simon nodded. "It was disturbing. I think she finally ended up talking to Roxanne about it." 

Terry grimaced. "Makes me glad I was out of town at the time. Oh, did your dad get my check?" 

"Yeah, but are you sure you can afford it?" Simon remembered the day his father got a letter from Terry. Inside was a check for the roof, nearly seven thousand dollars. 

"Gwen and Jordon chipped in. They wired the money to me, I sent it to Eric, and badda-bing badda-boom, new roof." Terry eyed the sandwich half in his hand, then set it down. 

Simon took another bite of his own lunch. Terry had come home about a week ago, and while there was no news about where Terry was going to college, Simon had spent every spare moment he could with his boyfriend. With the exception of last Saturday, when the fashion show finally happened, he had managed to snag Terry every time he wanted to. 

"So what do you have next?" 

"English." Simon frowned. _Doesn't he know my schedule?_

"I know that. I meant what's going on in it?" Terry took a sip from his soda. 

"Oh. Of course." _Idiot._ "Well, we're analyzing, um, 'Invisible Man' and today I think we're debating chapter ten." Simon wrinkled his nose at the banana in his bag. _A bit rotten, mom. _"Actually, I wanted to ask you a question that came up a couple chapters ago." 

"Shoot." 

Simon bit his lip. "How do you know you're a man?" 

Terry raised an eyebrow and gave Simon an amused look. "Well, generally you're a man if you have external genitalia, produce sperm-" 

"No! Sheesh, Terry, I don't mean biologically! I mean...how do you know you're a man? How do you know when you make the transition into manhood?" Simon gave Terry a weak glare. _He knew what I meant. He was teasing._

"Ahh. Well, 'manhood' could be interpreted as a sociological ideal instituted to satisfy our need to feel superior than those younger than us. And many would argue that life is a transition, and we never reach any set goals. Of course, there's the whole idea that manhood is a gender-specific term, implying that the female gender cannot-" 

Simon punched Terry's arm. "I hate it when you talk to your brother. How long before he gets out of that philosophy class?" 

Terry grinned. "Three weeks." He thought a moment. "When do you think you became a man?" 

Simon blinked. "Me?" 

"Yeah, you." 

Simon rubbed his chin. "Well, I'd have to say when I was twelve and in middle school. See, dad just had a heart attack, and Matt wasn't living at home anymore, so I sort of became the man of the house." 

Terry leaned back on his elbows. "Oh really?" 

Simon felt his ears turn red. "Okay, so it didn't really work out. But that's when I started shaving, and that's when I began my transition into manhood." He stuffed the remains of his tuna sandwich back into a bag "I thought I took a big step towards becoming a man when I told my family about my orientation. And of course keeping my room clean, doing my chores, keeping up with my homework--what're you smiling at?" 

Terry chuckled. "Nothing, nothing at all." 

Simon was unconvinced and crossed his arms. "What do you find so funny?" 

"That you equate cleanliness and homework with manhood." 

"And responsibility." 

"Chores don't necessarily show responsibility." 

Simon pursed his lips, but Terry did have a point, so he didn't argue. "Alright. What about you? When did you become a man?" 

"When I was seven." 

Simon frowned at that. "No way." 

Terry sat up and rested his arms on his knees. "Well, it began when I was seven. I became a man, as you put it, when I was fourteen." 

"And how do you know that's when it happened?" 

Terry closed his eyes a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I wouldn't necessarily call it manhood. In my family what you think of as manhood is actually maturity." 

Simon took a bite out of the cookie in his hand. "I'm mature." 

Terry smiled and handed Simon a napkin. "He says with his mouth full." 

Simon wrinkled his nose and took the napkin. _Wise ass._

"You see, at seven I recognized my sexual orientation. I was able to define who I was and could accept it. That's why I believe it began there." 

Simon swallowed and nodded. It made sense. "So why do you think you became a man at fourteen?" 

"I was mature enough to manage my life. I could cook for myself, clean and contribute to the household responsibilities. I scheduled my own classes, I was working and earning an income. And of course the biggest sign: I could take care of my brother. And don't argue. You know Jordon. He's a handful and taking care of him is no easy feat." 

Simon nodded again. _Sometimes I wonder if that's how Matt felt about taking care of me. _

__"But the proof I was a man, as you put it, was the fact that I took the initiative to put my life in order. I recognized what had to be done, what my limits were, and what I wanted out of life. Because of it I was able to enter public school a whole semester earlier than planned." He tilted the soda can, looking at his drink. "I took control of my life, and was mature enough to handle it without anyone's help. I was taught that taking charge of one's life proves that you've matured into an adult." 

Simon rubbed his neck. _He would've been really helpful the other day in class._ Another thought came to mind, and he voiced it. "So do you think I'm a man, er, I'm mature?" 

Terry tilted his head, his eyes narrowing and staring behind Simon. "I believe you were born mature in many respects. You know who you want to be, what you want to do for a living, all of that. I don't think you're there yet. You took a large step in the right direction when you came out." Terry reached out and rubbed Simon's wrist. "You're very mature, but I don't think you're fully there yet. That's just because you still...you're a bit..." Terry pursed his lips. "You have a little ways to go, but it won't be much longer before you're an adult." 

_He can't tell me? Or maybe it's something I have to figure out on my own._ Simon sighed. _I am pretty immature at times._

"You do know that being a man doesn't mean you can't cry or be sensitive." 

Simon laughed at that. "Yeah, I know. Dad and a few friends explained that a while back." 

"Good." Terry shook his head and looked across the school yard. "Some people just don't get that." 

"Don't I know it." Simon stood up and picked up his bag, realizing that people were starting to head inside. "I have to get Ruthie, so I'll see you tonight?" 

"Ohh...better make it tomorrow. I've got a party I need to make an appearance at, and it's models only." Terry gave Simon a sympathetic shrug. "Sorry. It's a company party." 

"Hey, no problem." Simon knew if Terry could bring him he would. "Catch you tomorrow then." 

Terry kissed Simon on the check. "Definitely." He grabbed his own bag and headed for his next class. 

~*()*~ 

"A little lower." Simon rolled his head to the side. 

Terry moved his hands lower and continued massaging Simon's shoulders. "So you don't know what's wrong with Ruthie?" 

"No. We used to be so close. She'd tell me just about everything. Now she won't even give me the time of day." Simon closed his eyes. "I just don't get it. What could it be that she can't talk to me about?" 

"Her period?" 

Simon tensed and whipped his head back, staring up into Terry's golden eyes. "You can't be serious!" 

"Why not?" Terry squeezed Simon's shoulders, eliciting a quiet moan. "That hurt?" 

"No. S'good." Simon shook his head. "Don't change the subject. Ruthie's too young." 

"When did Lucy get hers? And Mary?" 

Simon opened his mouth, then shut it. _Damn...they were about Ruthie's age._ "I guess...it could be." Another thought hit him, and he groaned. "Man, that means we're back to three hormonal women a month. Mom alone is bad enough." 

"I thought your mother went through menopause." 

"Yeah, but she gets these random mood swings that seem like she still has a monthly visitor. Add to that Lucy and Ruthie...life's gonna be hell." 

"Poor guy." Terry kissed Simon's forehead. 

"Easy for you to say. You didn't grow up with your mom in the house." 

"True." Terry had to admit, the only period women he knew were Amber and the women in the Camden family. _And Amber just demanded a constant supply of chocolate._ "Well, if you can figure out when Lucy and Ruthie's times are, we can plan to have you stay with me." 

"And what about mom's unpredictability?" Simon pulled away from Terry's grip and rolled onto his back, propping himself up on his elbows. "She's the worst of the three." 

"You could move in with me." 

Simon blinked, then chuckled. "Yeah, like my parents would ever go for that." 

Terry shrugged and rested next to his boyfriend. "It's an honest offer, though, if you want." 

Simon stared at Terry, trying to gauge just how honest he was being. _He's serious. Dead serious. I'd love to...but mom and dad...they'd flip!_ "I...I'd love to Terry, but you're probably leaving at the end of the year, and mom and dad would sooner move me to New York then let me move in with you." 

Terry nodded. "Yeah, I figured." He ran a hand through Simon's hair a minute before leaning down and capturing Simon's lips with his own. 

Simon closed his eyes and returned the kiss. _He's not looking forward to this either. He's just...better at hiding it than me. That's probably why he offered to let me live with him. When I'm old enough, I will. The instant I don't have to follow mom and dad's rules, I'm going to be in his house, in his room, in his bed. _

Terry pulled back when he ran out of air. Simon's panting alerted him that Simon needed the break as much as he did. _Now's as good a time as any. _"Simon Camden, would you go to the prom with me?" 

Simon was confused a minute. "Our prom?" 

Terry chuckled. "Yeah. The one our school is throwing. Granted, a gym isn't very interesting, but I'd still be honored if you'd be my date." 

"Are you sure that's...okay?" Simon still received a few dirty looks, mostly from girls, for being gay. 

"We're out, Simon. Who cares what others think. I want one more special night, and the people who don't like it can just mind their own business." Terry rested his forehead against Simon's. "So will you be my date for the prom?" 

Simon searched Terry's face. _I can't let him down. Besides, it would be nice to see him dressed up again. _"Yes." 

Terry kissed Simon again, more briefly this time. "I love you." 

"I love you too." 

~*()*~ 

"So Terry asked Simon to the prom?" Eric opened the fridge and searched for a drink. 

"Yep." Annie pulled out the cookies she was baking in the oven and set them on the counter. "I didn't really expect Terry to do that, but I'm not as surprised as I thought I'd be." 

Eric picked up a bottle of water and twisted the cap off. "You don't think..." 

"Think what?" Annie was using a spatula to get the cookies off the metal sheet and onto a plate. 

"Well, you know, proms and all, that Terry could try and...do something with Simon?" Eric sipped his water. 

Annie raised an eyebrow at her husband. "You mean bring Simon to a hotel?" 

"Or his house." 

Annie shrugged and went back to the cookies. "Could Terry do it? Yes, I believe he could. Would he? I don't think so." She paused again. "Simon, on the other hand...no. Terry wouldn't go along with that." 

"But this is prom night, one of the most romantic nights in a high schooler's life. Either or both of them could be swept up in the event." 

"We let Matt go with the school harlot for his prom." Annie picked up the next tray and put it in the oven, resetting the timer. "We trusted him." 

Eric lowered his voice. "Yes, but he wasn't having dreams about having sex with her." 

"I'm sure it'll be fine. Just trust that level heads will prevail." 

Eric frowned. "Why are you so calm about this?" 

"Because I've already made Simon promise to be back by eleven." Annie smirked and picked up the plate of cookies. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go entertain the twins." 

Eric stared after his wife, then shook his head. _Figures she'd be on top of it._

~*()*~ 

Terry glanced in the mirror hanging in the Camden's entry way. While he and Simon had decided to not be as traditionally formal as usual at a prom, he had decided to keep with some traditions. Not many. In fact, the only traditional clothing he wore was a pair of black slacks and dress shoes. He had decided against wearing a coat due to a heat wave that had struck that week, and wore a metallic crimson dress shirt, accenting his golden brown eyes. The top button was undone, and his hair, though ordered, had a few stray strands hanging about. 

In Lucy's opinion, it made him look even more sexy. _Simon's gonna die._ She, along with the rest of the Camden clan, were waiting in the living room so that they could see the teens off and get a few pictures. Annie and Eric seemed a bit nervous, but Lucy wrote that off to them worrying about what could happen between her brother and his boyfriend. Ruthie was entertaining the twins with Ben. And her Kevin was out on patrol. "So, feeling nervous, Terry?" 

"Why would I be nervous?" Terry grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm going out with the man I love to a school sponsored event. They know about us and don't seem to care, so no, I'm not really nervous." He glanced in the mirror again. "Well, maybe of getting some of my dinner on my shirt." 

Lucy giggled and rolled her eyes. "I'll go see what's keeping Simon." She headed up the stairs. 

"There's no rush." 

Lucy finished her ascent and knocked on Simon's door. "Hey, you decent?" 

"Huh? Yeah." 

Lucy opened the door and went into the room. 

Simon was sitting on his bed fiddling with his shoe. Unlike Terry, he had opted for a little more formal outfit. He was wearing white khaki's, matching shoes, and a button down white-collared shirt. Even with the heat wave, a white jacket was resting on the back of Simon's desk chair. Lucy leaned against the wall and watched him as he finished tying his laces. "I thought you were ready fifteen minutes ago." 

"I was...but I had to fix a few things..." He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up slightly. Lucy noted he had removed his earring for the evening. "Actually, I'm delaying going down. I know Terry's going to look great-" 

"He does. Believe me." 

Simon glared at her. "But I'm also scared. This is the first time we're going to be, well, be really open at school. We've cuddled or kissed or hugged, but never been more intimate than that. What if they hate us? Or turn violent, or-" 

"Woah, Simon, slow down. It's a prom. I'm willing to bet both of you will get jealous looks, but that's it." Lucy sat by Simon and put an arm around his shoulders. "I know it's a big step, but nothing has really happened at school thus far, and I doubt it'll happen at such a popular event." She patted his back. "Now, you've got a gorgeous guy who loves you waiting downstairs to take you to an expensive dinner and night of dancing. Are you going to disappoint him?" 

Simon shook his head and smiled at his sister. "No. Thanks...I'm just a little-" 

"Nervous. Between your nervousness and Terry's stability, you two will balance out perfectly." Lucy stood and headed for the door. "I'll tell him you'll be down in a second." 

"Alright." Simon glanced in the mirror one last time, and reached out for his jacket. 

Lucy hopped down the stairs and patted Terry's arm as she went towards the living room. "He'll be down in a sec." 

"No problem." Terry checked his cuffs and faced the stairs. 

Lucy waved for her parents, especially Annie holding her camera, to come to the door. _Terry's going to drive Simon nuts, but I'm willing to bet Simon'll astound Terry too. Those two are definitely going to turn some heads tonight, and not because they're gay._

Simon patted his clothes and started down the stairs, slowing as he caught sight of Terry at the foot of the stairs. _Lucy wasn't lying. He's gorgeous. Sinfully so._ Simon mentally hit himself. _Only the son of a minister would think something like that._

On the other end of the stairs, Terry felt his breath hitch in his throat. _He's an angel._ Part of his brain nearly short-circuited, wanting to take Simon home and do something both of them had nearly done earlier that year. _Down, down, keep calm, but God is he good enough to eat in that._ He swallowed, then repeated the action when it wasn't sufficient enough to find his voice. 

Annie simply took pictures of the two teenagers. 

Simon finally stepped off the last stair and stood before Terry. Neither said anything, just staring at each other. 

Eric cleared his throat, surprising the two of them. _Apparently they forgot we were here._ "So, how about one picture of the two of you together?" 

"Oh, yes, yes." Annie took a step back and waiting for the boys to get into position. It took a few minutes, but she was able to get a few shots of them standing beside each other. 

Lucy, deciding they had wasted enough time, nudged Terry. "Don't you have reservations to meet?" 

"What? OH! Right. Restaurant. Food. Um," Terry offered his arm to Simon. "Shall we?" 

Simon blushed lightly, but took the arm and opened the door for them. "We'll be back later." 

Terry grabbed the doorknob, and winked at the Camden parents. "Don't wait up." He shut the door before either could respond. 

Lucy laughed at the stunned looks on her parents' faces. _That's going to make sure they don't sleep tonight._

Outside, Simon chuckled. "You shouldn't tease." 

Terry turned and grabbed Simon's shoulders. "Neither should you." He pulled Simon into an embrace and kissed him, dipping him back slightly. 

Simon managed a surprised squeak, but didn't put up much of a fight. After a few minutes, as much as he hated to, he pulled away from Terry and stood back up. "We, uh, still have dinner to get to." 

Terry sighed. "Yes, that we do, don't we." Terry held Simon's hand and started towards the car. He paused by the passenger side and faced Simon. "You look great." 

"I kinda got that." Simon rubbed his leg. "You look wonderful, too." He blinked. "When'd you get a black car?" 

Terry laughed and patted Simon's shoulder. "Our way in is back there." He nodded to the back door, about five feet away. 

"A limo? Terry, you shouldn't have." Simon thought a moment. "Okay, yes, you should've, and you did. But you didn't have to." 

Terry headed for the door and opened it. "Age before beauty." 

"I'm younger than you." Simon climbed in. 

Terry got in beside him and closed the door. "Where is it said age refers to older people?" He nuzzled Simon's neck, and planted a quick kiss there, sending shivers down the blond's back. "You look really good in that." 

Simon turned his head and met Terry's mouth, devouring the sweet taste of his boyfriend. _Screw the dance, screw dinner, let's just go back to his place. _He mentally kicked himself. _Behave yourself!_

This time Terry reluctantly broke the contact, but remained close with his hand intertwined with Simon's. "I love you." 

"I love you too. Especially in that outfit." 

Terry chuckled. "One day ask me to show you some of my better modeling outfits. You may find another you like more." 

Simon was sure he would. "Oh, um, mom wants me to be home by eleven." 

"Only eleven, eh? She must be worried about the two of us-" 

Simon held up his hand. "Don't go there. Just, don't. The fact that she even KNOWS I think about it..." He shuddered. "Why do my parents have to share everything with each other?" 

"Because they care." Terry glanced out the tinted windows. 

Simon followed his gaze. He caught a couple cars and limos with other prom dates, some prom groups even. "Where are we going?" He noted a lot of prom people at a place called the Macaroni Grill. 

"Someplace exclusive. Only the best for you." 

"Terry, you really didn't have to." 

Terry kissed Simon's nose. "I wanted to. You deserve the best, at a place where we won't be judged or glared at." 

Simon looked out the window once more, catching some curious looks aimed at their limo. "Alright." 

~*()*~ 

Simon shifted in his seat, staring at the entrance to the gym. Dinner, as Terry had promised, had been the best. It was on the top floor of a hotel, in fact the most expensive hotel in town. There hadn't been any other prom couples, and even when they had shared food and a few affectionate kisses, no one gave them a second glance. It was one of the best dinners he'd ever had with his boyfriend. 

His anxiety had returned, however, on the drive over to the prom itself. He was worried that they wouldn't be accepted, that they'd be turned away from the door or shunned as soon as they entered. _How can Terry keep so cool?_

Terry squeezed Simon's hand, giving him a a small feeling of reassurance. _I'll be with him. If we're...rejected, we can just hang out at his place or someplace else. It's their loss. Yeah, just keep thinking like that._ Simon smiled and stepped out of the car. 

Terry got out behind him and shut the door, knocking on the window for the driver to know they were out. Taking Simon's hand again, he headed towards the door. "Just have fun." 

"I will. As long as I'm with you, I will." Simon pulled out the ticket Terry had bought him and handed it to the teacher at the door. Simon recognized her as Terry's art teacher, and thought she saw her give him a supportive wink before allowing them inside. _At least some teachers are on our side._

Once inside, the two of them quickly found a table and took a seat, Simon removing his jacket and hanging it on the back of his chair. _Hotter than I thought it'd be._ As expected, he and Terry were getting quite a number of looks, mostly from girls. _What?_

Terry got some soda and returned, setting a glass before Simon. "Well, they did well on the decorations." 

Simon sipped his drink. He heard what Terry didn't say: they could've done better. _I have to agree with him there._ Still, the music wasn't bad. He would dance with Terry later, though, after his dinner had settled. In the meantime, he was content to just sit there and talk. 

It didn't last long, or it didn't seem to, anyway, as Terry managed to drag him out to the dance floor to the song 'Mamboleo.' _Well, it could be a worse song._ At first people had given them some distance, but as the songs kept coming, especially the slow ones, they closed their distance around the homosexual couple. Simon rested his head against Terry's shoulder as they slow danced to 'The Way You Look Tonight.' _How appropriate. I guess Lucy was right. It's no big deal. _He smiled up at Terry, eliciting a warm one in return from the elder teen. _I'm glad I came and didn't chicken out. I'd have ruined the night for him. I'm not going to let anything ruin this night for him. No, not just for him, for us. _

Terry kissed Simon's cheek. "Yen for your thoughts." 

"Yen?" Simon chuckled. 

Terry rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean." 

"Just thinking about how great this night is, how glad I am I came. That sort of thing." He spotted someone approaching them and sighed. "I may have spoken too soon, though." 

"Huh?" 

"Hey Simon. Dax." 

Terry closed his eyes a moment, then turned sideways. "Yes, Cecilia?" 

Cecilia was dressed in a simple red strapless dress. Simon had managed to bury that hatchet, though he still didn't like the bobble-headed girl. "What do you want?" 

"Well, my boyfriend's taking a break and talking with his friends. I was hoping I could possibly steal a dance with one of you?" 

Terry was about to snort, but Simon patted his arm. _Huh?_

_Some closure. Terry needs to calm down around her. _"Go ahead and keep Terry warm for me while I run to the rest room." He looked Terry in the eyes. 

Terry frowned, but picked up on what he was doing. "Alright. One dance." 

"That's all I ask." 

Simon pulled away as 'Happy Boys and Girls' started up on the speakers. _I don't really want to do another fast dance yet._ He turned and headed for the bathroom. All the water he had drunk at dinner had finally worked through his system, so at least he didn't lie when he said he had to go to the bathroom. Just before he entered the bathroom, he could've sworn he heard Terry sigh. _I'll be right back. I promise._

The bathroom was empty. Surprising, considering the amount of people present. Still, Simon went to a stall and did his business, barely registering the bathroom door opening after a few minutes. Finishing, he went to the sink to wash his hands. 

He didn't see the fist coming for him until it struck his face and knocked him to the tiled floor. 

~*()*~ 

"So I just wanted to, you know, apologize for what happened earlier in the year." 

Terry nodded, his eyes searching the dance floor. "That's kind of you." 

Cecilia spotted her boyfriend and waved at him. "I've got to go. Thanks for the dance." 

"Yeah, no problem." Terry stepped away, his brow furrowing. Two songs had passed since Simon left for the bathroom. While that in itself wasn't unusual, something was tingling in the back of his mind, something that said Simon was in trouble. Deciding to trust his instinct, he hurried towards the men's room, apologizing briefly as he jostled a few dancing couples. _Please let this feeling just be a side-effect from dinner. _He hesitated outside the door, questioning the feeling once more. _Screw embarrassment. _He pulled open the door. 

Terry froze as he entered the bathroom. Simon was being held by two upper-class men while a third planted his fist into the teen's stomach. The words 'faggot,' 'bastard,' and other degrading terms filtered into Terry's peripheral hearing, but they faded out as he saw red, and not from the blood staining Simon's outfit. Narrowing his eyes, he didn't make a sound, just charged forward and slammed his firsts into the attacker's lower spine. Before the teen could react, Terry grabbed his arm and threw him into the wall, completely ignoring the crack that resounded from the limp body. 

The two teens holding Simon dropped the blond on the floor. The one on the left charged forward, and Terry's palm met his nose halfway. Terry then ducked and lashed his leg out, tripping the teen, causing him to hit his head against a stall. The third teen seemed to hesitate a moment, and finally decided to try and tackle Terry while he was still down. Terry grunted under the weight of the bulkier man and caught a split lip from a wild hit by the person on top of him. Growling, Terry decided to throw honorable fighting into the wind and slammed his knee into his assailant's groin. That combined with a blow to the person's windpipe allowed Terry to shove him off and crawl over to the reason for his violent outburst. 

"Simon?" He tentatively reached out and rested his fingers on Simon's neck, finding a strong, though terrified, pulse. Pushing himself up, Terry kneeled over his love and felt along his body, making sure nothing was severely injured. 

Simon coughed and squinted open an eye, keeping one closed as it was beginning to swell up. A choked sob escaped his throat. "T-terry..." 

"Shh. It's okay. I took care of them." Terry glared at the fallen bodies a moment before refocusing on Simon. "I'm going to take you to the hospital. You going to make it?" 

"Yeah..." Simon coughed again and curled up on his side, wincing slightly. 

Terry stood and pulled out a cell phone, paging the limo driver. After a minute he nodded and put it back in his pocket and leaned down. "This might hurt a bit, but I'll try and be careful." Furrowing his brow, he slid his hands under the bloodied body and picked it up. 

Simon whimpered and rested his head against Terry's chest, needing the comfort. He caught sight of one of his attackers, but the only fact that registered in his mind was how he wasn't moving. Feeling Terry walk, Simon closed his eyes, not wanting to face anyone right now, especially his peers. 

Terry used his shoulder to push open the door, ignoring the stares and gasps that came from the sight. One chaperone came over to help. "Get on the phone and call the police. His attackers are in the bathroom." He paused. "They may need medical attention too." He continued towards the door, noticing another teacher grabbing their things from the table they were sitting at. _On prom night, the bastards._

Once Terry got Simon into the limo and the two of them were being driven to the hospital (faster than the speed limit, Terry was sure), he reached up and stroked Simon's hair, whispering comforting words, as much for himself as for Simon. 

And Simon, finally feeling safe once more, let the tears he had been holding back fall down his cheeks. 

~*()*~ 

"He was what?!" Eric rushed to the door, making a grab for his jacket. 

Lucy held up her hands, trying to calm her parents. "Simon was attacked. Terry found him and took him to the hospital. He's fine, but Terry figured we should go down to give him some moral support." _I can't believe this. How could they do this on prom night? _Lucy grabbed the keys from the counter. "I'll drive. I've already talked to Ruthie and she'll watch the twins. Now let's go." 

"How can you be so calm when you're brother's been hurt?" Annie picked up her own jacket and slipped it on. 

"Because Terry said he took care of the attackers and that no permanent damage was done to Simon. When I left upstairs Ruthie was going to call Kevin to get him to the school and handle things there." Lucy went to the door and opened it. "Getting hysterical isn't going to do anything, and from the edge in Terry's voice, he doesn't want us upset. We're going there for Simon." She went to the car and got in the driver's seat. 

Annie patted Eric's back, reminding him not to get too excited because of his heart, and got into the back of the car. 

Eric sat in the passenger's seat and bucked up. "What about Terry? Is he hurt?" 

"He didn't say. He only talked about Simon." Lucy started the car and drove for the hospital. 

Eric rubbed his chin. He was glad Simon and probably Terry were okay physically, but he wondered how severe their psychological wounds were, and if they could heal. 

~*()*~ 

"At a prom. Honestly." Roxanne closed the notebook she was writing in. Cecilia had been the last person to talk with both Terry and Simon, and she couldn't really offer any helpful information. The celebration had continued after Terry had left, but one teacher had kept the boy's bathroom isolated, only allowing a few students in to help get the three injured teenagers out. All three looked worse for wear. 

_I bet I know why they're in such bad shape._ Kevin kept a steady stare on the three alleged assaulters, There wasn't any question in his mind that Terry had retaliated when he found Simon. _He'll claim self-defense. I doubt there'll be any dispute of that from the department._ "It was a foolish attempt no matter where it happened. At least it occurred a populated place where help was nearby." 

Roxanne nodded, internally wincing as a paramedic tended to what was obviously a broken nose. She lowered her voice. "Do you think Terry went too far?" 

"What would you do if you found three guys attacking Chandler?" Kevin knew if he were in Terry's situation and Lucy was the victim, he probably wouldn't even use fists, just go straight for something more lethal. 

Roxanne contemplated that a moment. "So, we charge them with assault and battery?" 

"All three. We should recommend they stay under lock and key at the hospital." 

Roxanne crossed her arms. "The same one Terry and Simon went to?" 

"No. I told the paramedics to take them to the one across town. No need to create another explosive situation." 

"They're parents will protest." 

"Sergeant Michaels said he was already dealing with them. Besides, they were the aggressors." Kevin pulled open the men's room door, looking over the blood on the floor. "I doubt they'll want to face Terry again, even with their parents." 

Roxanne looked over his shoulder. "That's all theirs?" 

"The bit by the sink is Simon's." 

Roxanne bit her lip. "Right. I'll go tell an officer to stay with them in the hospital, then we should go join Lucy and the others." 

"Actually, I'd rather deal with them alone. Could you head to the Camden house and keep an eye on the twins?" 

Roxanne opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it. _He probably wants to confront Terry alone._ "Alright. But just this once, Kinkirk." 

Kevin nodded and headed for the squad car. 

~*()*~ 

"Terry! Are you okay? How's Simon?" 

Terry gave Eric and weary wave. "I'm fine, Simon's fine. He's sedated in the room behind me." 

Eric nodded and went into the room, followed by Annie. 

Lucy remained outside, considering what to do. She decided to stay out for now and sat next to Terry. "Are you sure you're okay? You're bleeding." 

Terry let out a weak laugh. "None of this blood is mine. Most of it is Simon's, but there's some from the attackers." He licked his lip. Okay, that's mine, but it's hardly superficial." 

"Who...who attacked him?" 

"One of them I recognized as someone from the basketball team. My guess is jocks who have homophobia and have been seething since we came out." Terry unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off, leaving him in a black t-shirt. "Why did they have to attack tonight? We were having a great time, even with that little thing with Cecilia." 

"Cecilia?"  
Terry shook his head. "I'll explain later. The point is, the evening was magical, and for the first time I think Simon felt really comfortable around his peers, and they felt the same way around us. Why did they have to ruin our night?" 

"Maybe because you two were comfortable. Maybe they thought you tried to mainstream too far when you came to the prom." Lucy reached over and rubbed his back. 

Terry rested his head on his hands. "They got their just desserts, at least. I'm grateful Simon wasn't truly hurt, but maybe I went too far with the assailants." 

"You were defending your boyfriend. It was three to one, not really fair odds." 

"I took them out in a matter of minutes." Terry rubbed his fingers over his knuckles. "I should've taught Simon some self-defense. Jordon signed me up for so many classes when he learned I was gay. He was worried I'd be attacked, liked Simon was." He closed his eyes and hung his head. "I thought I could protect him, that no one would dare touch a minister's son. I was an idiot." 

Lucy scooted closer. "Hey, you thought he'd be safe. It's a natural assumption. I know Kevin's life is in danger as a policeman, but I assume he'll be safe. It's not your fault he got hurt. It was out of your hands." 

"We're gay, Lucy. The stakes are higher, as are the risks. I warned Simon that attacks could happen, but I never taught him anything. If I had taught him some defense maybe he could've defended himself-" 

"And maybe they would've been rougher on him, even attacked him with weapons instead of fists. Maybe because you didn't teach him anything they didn't attack him as violently as they could've." Lucy rested her hands on Terry's arms. "You can't think about ifs and maybes. He's alright. You got there in time and stopped the attack. You had no idea it would happen, but you found out in time to save him. This isn't the time to blame yourself. You're the hero." 

"Then why do I feel like I failed him?" 

"You didn't." Lucy ran a hand through his hair. "If you can't forgive yourself for your sake, forgive yourself for Simon's sake. He's going to need you to be strong, to support him." 

Terry remained silent, staring at the floor. A sigh finally escaped his nose. "Alright." 

Lucy patted his shoulders. "Good." 

"Thanks for talking." 

"I figured Simon's going to be smothered enough with just my parents." 

Terry chuckled. "Yeah. Poor guy." 

Lucy nodded and sat back on her seat, glancing at the door. A figure coming towards them caught her eye, and she smiled. "Hey Kevin." 

"Lucy." Kevin nodded at his wife, but his eyes traveled to the figure sitting beside her. "Could you get us a soda, and maybe something to eat?" 

Lucy nodded, getting the message, and patted Terry's hand before heading for the cafeteria. 

Kevin took the seat Lucy had just vacated and rested his arms on his knees, watching the young man. 

"She knows what happened. You didn't have to send her away." Terry pulled the crimson shirt around and rested it on his lap, using it as a cushion for his arms. "So ask away. I know you have to." 

"Well, we know Simon was attacked and that you stopped them, but did you have to go so far as to break their bones? One has a broken nose and another has his arm dislocated." 

"That was my controlled outburst." Terry stared at the wall. "If there weren't the risk of jail time, none of them would've survived. I'm very protective of those I love. And they had the...the audacity to attack Simon just because he's gay-" 

"We don't know that's why." 

Terry leveled him with an incredulous look. "If you don't believe that's why they attacked him, you're delusional." 

Kevin shifted in his seat. Terry had a point. _They'll probably deny it, but they didn't take anything from him. _"You have to make a statement-" 

"Not tonight. Not now. I'm still sorting through my emotions, and recalling the event will not help things." 

"You have to do it soon." Kevin looked down the hallway. 

"Tomorrow, then." Terry closed his eyes. "Kevin, what'll happen to the three that attacked?" 

Kevin sighed. "It depends. We can charge them with assault and battery, but if they hold, or if the school will reprimand them, I don't know." 

"Assume the charges hold." 

"A couple years in a juvenile facility. If they're eighteen maybe in a minimum security prison." 

Terry leaned back and thumped his head against the wall. "That's the minimum?" 

"Maximum. The minimum is probation, community service, and a fine." 

Terry growled softly. 

Kevin noticed Lucy approaching. "Calm down. Once you give your statement we'll have a better idea of our case against them." 

"Can they get off scott free?" Terry opened his eyes and looked at Kevin. 

Kevin shifted under the golden gaze. "There's...always a chance. Considering what you did to get them away from Simon, a judge might think they've suffered enough." 

Terry's shoulders slumped. He stared past Kevin. "Don't tell Simon that. Don't tell him the possibilities. Just say you're working on it. I don't want him worried that they could be back." 

Kevin nodded. "I understand." 

Lucy walked up to them and handed Terry a soda. "All the machine had was Pepsi." 

"S'alrght." Terry opened the drink and sipped some of it. 

Eric and Annie finally exited the room. Annie looked upset, and ready to deal some of her own revenge against the attackers. Kevin stood and took her aside, deciding to tell her what he had already told Terry. 

Eric patted Lucy's shoulder and looked at Terry. "He's not really awake, but if you want to see him..." 

Terry stood slowly and headed for the door, steeling himself for what he might see. 

~*()*~ 

Simon knew his parents had been in the room. He knew they were talking to him, hoping for some response, but he hadn't wanted to talk to them, to anyone. So he feigned sleep, shifting every now and then to keep comfortable. He also knew the doctor probably knew he was faking, and made a mental note to thank him later for not telling anyone. 

The attack kept going through his mind. After the first punch was thrown, he had fallen to the floor. It had taken a few minutes to reorient himself, and by the time he had two people had grabbed him. He recognized them, not specifically by name, but by occupation. Two were from the basketball team, and the third was captain of the swim team. All of them were seniors, and friends of Morris. 

At first he wasn't sure why they had attacked him, but when the epithets were hurled at him, he figured it out right away. _All because I'm dating Terry. Why now? Why did they have to do it tonight?_ Simon figured that out, too. It was because he had dared to show up at the prom, to publicly be seen enjoying himself with his boyfriend. 

And for some reason, while he was being pummeled, all he could think of was how this would ruin Terry's night. _Talk about screwed up priorities. Or maybe it was shock. Yeah, that's probably it._ He remembered Terry coming in and saving him at some point, but how, or what happened afterward, he couldn't really remember. Actually, after the hitting stopped, all he remembered was feeling safe in Terry's arms. 

_I must've passed out when I got here. _Simon rolled onto his side, wincing slightly as a bruise protested to the shifting. _I got lucky. Nothing broken, nothing wrong internally. I'm going to look a mess for a while, though. _He hadn't looked in a mirror, but he could feel his right eye throbbing in pain, where the first fist had connected. His arms were also sore, and he was willing to bet he was bruised where the jocks were holding him. He didn't even want to think about what his stomach and chest looked like. He was just grateful the medications were dulling the pain in that area. 

He heard the door open again, and sighed internally. _I'm still not ready to face mom or dad. Just say goodnight and leave._

A hand brushed through his hair, while another stroked the small indentation of his back. "You don't have to pretend. I know you're awake. You're breathing's too heavy." 

Simon's heart rate increased, and he was glad that he wasn't on a heart monitor, otherwise it would be setting off alarms. He thought about continuing to play possum, but realized there wasn't really any point. Hesitantly, he rolled onto his back. He couldn't meet Terry's eyes, though, and just stared at his bedspread. 

Terry snaked his hand down Simon's arm, pausing briefly at the bruise marks, until it met Simon's hand. He squeezed it gently, reassuringly. "Hey. How you holding up?" 

"M'fine. What about you? Did they hurt you?" 

"Iie." 

Simon frowned. 

Terry shook his head. "Sorry. No, they didn't." He kissed the top of Simon's head. "I'm sorry this ruined our night. Jerks." 

"It's not your fault. If anything it's mine. If I hadn't gone to the bathroom-" 

"You would've had to go eventually. They were laying in wait. Don't go blaming yourself." 

Simon bit his lip. What Terry said was true. "You just said-" 

"I apologized because I didn't prepare you. I warned you attacks could happen, but I didn't teach you any defense." Terry rubbed the back of his neck. "Though even that might not have stopped tonight." 

"So neither of us are responsible." Simon balled up the sheet in his hand. That didn't really sound right, but deep down he knew it was true. _That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. Damn it, this was supposed to be a special night for me and Terry and they had to go and...and..._ He sniffed, feeling tears gathering again. 

Terry was holding him immediately, rubbing Simon's back soothingly. "It's alright. Cry. I'm not going to leave you." 

Simon squeezed his eyes shut, a few tears sliding down his cheeks. He wanted to cry, but he had used so many tears earlier, and truth be told, it hurt to cry out of one eye. _I hate them. I hate how they did this. I hate that they've made me weak. I hate how they've hurt Terry through me. I hate them._

Terry pulled away and wiped a tear from Simon's cheek with his thumb. "Simon, do you want me to stay tonight?" 

Simon wanted to throw his arms around Terry and pull him into the bed. He didn't want Terry to go, to leave him alone the night. But he also didn't want Terry to see his body as it was now, and he couldn't face his boyfriend yet. "N-no. Not tonight." 

"Simon, look at me." 

Simon whimpered, but slowly turned his head towards the love of his life. 

Terry looked Simon in the eyes. "It's not your fault. Someday we'll forget this and just remember the wonderful time we had dancing. It'll get better. I promise." 

Simon remained silent, but nodded, believing Terry for some reason. 

Terry closed the distance between them and gave Simon a gentle kiss. "I love you." 

"I love you too." 

Terry nodded. "Get some sleep. Real sleep. I'll be here to take you home tomorrow. I promise." 

Simon nodded again and pulled the sheet up, rolling onto his side again. _Tomorrow. Right. Just like when I came out. One day at a time. Somehow, I think this is going to be more difficult than then, though..._

__~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Iie: No 

Author's Prattle: Well, here's the official chapter that segregates my fic from the TV show. That's right. I'm not going to follow season eight or nine. There may be similarities, but overall I'm going to completely separate from events in the show. It's become so bad (and they're getting rid of Simon) that it's just easier to make plots up. Unfortunately, that means less focus and subplots on the other family members. I do have a few plans for Lucy, the twins, and Matt, though... 

This chapter also is the beginning of major changes in Terry's life, and Simon's as well. Unfortunately, while I have the ideas running through my head as I write this, I have two fanfic challenges to complete (one for 7th Heaven, one for X-Men. Angel/Cyclops anyone?). I also have my Daniel SG-1 fic to work on, my Evo fic (it's going to end soon), and again, I've been neglecting my Ronin fic. And my finals are next week. Hmm...my guess is I won't get the next chapter out for at least three weeks. 

Disclaimers. Lots this chapter. I don't own 7th Heaven, its characters or settings. They belong to Brenda Hampton and Aaron Spelling. Any of the songs listed at the prom, or anywhere else in this chapter, I don't own either. Those are songs that are on my hardrive that I liked from movies or anime music videos I've seen. I DO own Terry, his family and circumstances. So ask first. I also don't own the Macaroni Grill. Pepsi, or Invisible Man (one of the most annoying books in the world). 

Also, I hope I didn't offend anyone. Attacks on homosexuals are a reality (even in California), and I don't have anything against jocks or sports people, but considering this show, the stereotypical attack by jocks worked. For those who don't know, assault is when a person threatens to hit another, battery is when contact is made. Having been a victim of attack (not because I'm gay, because I'm intelligent and there was a miscommunication), I have quite a bit of knowledge about the consequences of assault and battery. Sorry also if the swearing offended anyone. 

Hmm...I believe that's everything. I still need constructive criticism on my fics "Angel's Night" and "Twin Novae" before I submit them to YaoiCon. I'll also be posting a new pic on my profile page soon, this one of Terry and Simon instead of Terry and Jordon. As always, reviews are welcome, and hoped you enjoyed the chapter! 


	28. Handling Trauma

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

****_By Cypher_

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Handling Trauma 

"Let me get this straight. You want to move in with the Camdens?" Roxanne followed Terry's movements with her eyes. 

"Until the end of the school year, yeah." Terry continued pacing the length of the kitchen. "That way I can be here for Simon while he's healing, and we can spend even more time together so he doesn't feel neglected." 

Roxanne shook her head. "Where would you stay?" 

"Matt's room, the one he shared with Robbie, is empty. It's not like I'd be moving in for good, just for a month or so." Terry crossed his arms. "Simon's going to need a lot of emotional support, and I want to be here to give it to him. Eric and Annie would never let him move in to my house, so this is the only other option." 

Roxanne raised her cup of coffee. "Well, it's your life. But I don't know if I could live here, and you seem a bit more eccentric than me. Wouldn't you feel...stifled here?" 

"Probably. But Simon's going to need me. Who's going to hold him if he has nightmares? Lucy? Eric? Lord forbid, Ruthie?" Terry rested his palms on the counter. "He's going to want me, and I won't just ignore that." 

"Are you sure there isn't some guilt leaking into your good intentions? That you blame yourself for what happened, and now you're going to extremes to make up for it?" Roxanne glanced at the clock. _This is going into midnight. When are those Camdens coming back?_

Terry looked up and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, there probably is, but I also know Simon. He needed me when he had nightmares after coming out, and he's going to have nightmares of this." Terry blinked, looking at Roxanne. "What time is it?" 

Roxanne blinked back, startled by the sudden topic change. "Nearly midnight, why?" 

Terry rubbed his eyes. "I just realized the limo driver's still on the clock." He sighed. "Thanks for listening." 

"No problem. But you need to talk to the Camdens about moving in." 

"I know. I will." Terry rubbed his arm. "I'll get you that statement in the morning." 

"That'd be appreciated." 

Terry smiled slightly and headed for the door. 

Roxanne rested against the table. _Well, this has been an interesting night. Taking care of twins, a preteen, and now a distraught boyfriend. All I need now if for Lucy to ask my advice on how to handle assault victims._

As if on cue, the back door opened and Lucy and Kevin strolled in. Well, stroll was probably too jovial a word. Slunk seemed more appropriate, in Roxanne's mind. Lucy looked tired, her shoulders slightly hunched as she hung up her coat. Kevin looked just worn out, whether from the hour or what had happened, she wasn't sure. "Welcome home." 

"Sorry we're late." Kevin sat across from Roxanne. "Everyone okay?" 

Roxanne nodded. "Ruthie already had the twins in bed when I got here. After an hour I sent her up to get some sleep. And you just missed Terry." 

"We saw him leaving. What was he here for?" Lucy poured herself and Kevin some of the coffee Roxanne had brewed. 

"I think he came to check on Ruthie and the twins." Roxanne hid her smirk behind her coffee mug. _Might as well let him surprise her._

"That's sweet. Thanks for watching them, by the way." Lucy brought the drinks over and took a seat between her friend and husband. 

"Hey, it was a family emergency. You'd do the same for me." 

Lucy nodded in agreement. 

"So where are the parents?" 

"When we left, they were trying to decide who should stay with Simon." Kevin simply held his cup of java. "Neither of us had the heart to tell them that they couldn't stay in Simon's room with him." 

"Speaking of Simon," Lucy looked at Roxanne, "is there anything...special I should do to make him more comfortable, or to help him recover?" 

Roxanne nearly spit her coffee in Kevin's face, saved only by the fact she was trying not to choke on it as laughter struggled to get out. _Geeze, someone has an interesting sense of humor._ She glanced skyward, wondering if some higher being had read her mind and made Lucy ask that question. _Naw...it must've been coincidence._ "Well, um, why don't you talk with Kevin about it. I need to...get going. Yeah." Roxanne stood and headed for the door. "I'll see you tomorrow." She hurried out the door before either could ask her anything else. _That was still some coincidence. I'll have to ask Chandler if God has a sense of humor._

Lucy blinked and looked at Kevin. "Was it something I said?" 

Kevin simply shrugged and sipped his drink. 

~*()*~ 

"I can hear you attacking a punching bag over the microphone. What have I always told you about taking cell phones into gyms?" 

"Urusai, aniki. If I wanted condescending conversation I'd have called Amber." Terry growled and landed a few kicks against the stuffed bag. 

"You wanna talk to her? She's lying right next to me." 

Terry missed the bag and stumbled in his footing. "NANI?!" 

"Yeah. We had lunch and she's taking a nap on the couch next to me." Jordon paused. "You didn't think-" 

"Yes, I did! Geeze, watch how you phrase things!" Terry tightened the padding on his fists and started his attack again. 

"Sorry. So what's up? From the sounds of things, this isn't a social call." 

"Simon was attacked." 

Jordon remained silent for a few moments. "Is he okay?" 

"He will be. I'm just...pissed and needed someone to vent to." 

"Sounds like you're venting on that bag pretty well." 

"Swearing at an inanimate object doesn't have the same effect as swearing at a person." 

Jordon sighed. "Well, if he's okay, what about his attacker? You didn't snap his neck, did you?" 

"It was tempting. And it would be their necks. As in more than one." 

"More than one attacker. Fine, but you didn't kill them. So what shape are they in?" 

"According to Kevin, one broken nose, one fractured arm, and one who won't be having children." 

"That was quite restrained of you." 

"My goal was to save Simon, not exact revenge. Now can I vent?" 

"Hold on, where did this happen?" 

Terry punched the bag hard enough the chains holding it up groaned in protest. "The prom." 

"Wasn't that today?" 

"Technically, yesterday. It's one in the morning here." 

"Ouch. Well, alright, go for it. Just let me move out of Amber's hearing range. Don't want her waking up to your ranting." 

~*()*~ 

Matt's eyes squinted open, looking at his alarm clock. _Who would be calling this early in the morning? It's nearly four._

"Matt..." 

"I'll get it, I'll get it." Matt yawned and patted Sarah's arm. _I'm going to kill whoever this is._ Grabbing the phone, he sat up and held the noisy object somewhere near his ear. "What." 

"Matt, hey. Um...it's me." 

Matt recognized the voice, but he wasn't awake enough to remember who it belonged to. "Who's me." 

"Robbie. Robbie Palmer. We shared a room, I was your best man-" 

"I know, I know." Matt scratched his chest. "Why're you calling at this, forgive me, God awful hour?" 

"You mean you haven't heard?" 

Matt woke up a bit more at that. "Heard...what?" 

"Um, maybe I should wait until Mrs. Camden tells you-" 

That got Matt's attention. "Now, Robbie. What's happened? It's not dad, is it?" 

"No, no. Your dad's fine. But, well, Terry and Simon's prom was last night." 

Matt narrowed his eyes. "If you're going to tell me Terry and Simon did something..." 

"No! No, nothing like that. It's Simon, actually. Apparently he was attacked while he was there." 

The anger Matt had felt a moment ago melted away as concern rose to the forefront of his mind. "Is he okay? How badly was he hurt?" 

"He's fine physically. Look, I'm getting my news from Mary, who got it from Lucy. I thought someone would've called you by now." 

"Honey, who is it?" Sarah leaned up on her elbows and blinked at Matt. 

"Hang on a sec." Matt lowered the cordless and glanced at his wife. "It's Robbie. I...may be a while. You go back to sleep. I'll go to the living room." He stood and headed for the door. 

Sarah nodded sleepily and collapsed back on the bed. 

Matt closed the door and headed for the kitchen. "Robbie? You still there?" 

"Yeah. You sure no one called?" 

"We would've heard the phone." Matt grabbed a kettle and filled it with water. While he didn't need the stimulation coffee offered, he doubted he'd be able to sleep after hearing his brother had been attacked. "So Simon's okay. You're sure?" 

"Yeah. He's staying over night too make sure he doesn't have a concussion or something, but he's fine. Terry too, by the way." 

Matt blinked. He hadn't even thought to ask about Simon's boyfriend. _Too caught up in worrying about my brother._ "He's in the hospital too?" 

"He just had a bit of a split lip, and it wasn't that bad. He rescued Simon from the attackers. Gave them quite a beating, too." 

Matt set the kettle on the stove and turned it on, searching for some instant coffee packs. "Good. If he hadn't, I would've." 

"You, Matt Camden, diffuser of fights?" 

"Between siblings and when it's still words, yeah. But when someone goes as far as beating up my brother-" 

"Our brother. Look, I know how you're feeling, and I'd love to talk, but this is long distance." 

Matt knew what Robbie meant, having do deal with phone bills now. "So why'd you call?" 

"Well, Mary's flying back to Fort Lauderdale, then she has a layover in New York on her way to San Diego. She thought I should go with her and we'd visit Simon over the weekend. I thought, since we were in New York for a few hours during the layover, if you could get some days off, you'd like to join us." 

Matt bit his lip. It sounded like a plan. A good plan, especially considering it originated from Mary, the whacky plan master. "Can I call you tonight with an answer?" 

"Yeah, but before six, cause that's when I'm going to meet Mary at the airport." 

"No problem. I'll talk with you later, man." 

"Yeah, later." 

Matt hung up the phone and looked towards his bedroom. _I can't just leave Sarah, school, and work. But Simon might need me. What am I saying? Might? Of course he'll need me. _He lifted the kettle as it started to whistle and poured the water into a coffee filter. _He will have Terry, though, and Terry...he's kinda his new comforter. Maybe he doesn't need me. _He sighed. _He's still my brother. Terry said he'd still need me, that I can help him in areas he can't. _He watched the coffee drip into the pot. _So if I can, I guess I'm going back to Glen Oak._

~*()*~ 

Eric drove past the visiting parking lot of the hospital, feeling a bit odd knowing that he wasn't going there, or to the maternity wing, but to emergency pickup. He hadn't really parked in that section of the hospital, not even when Ruthie got the tictac up her nose or when Mary got hit by the car. Both times his wife had parked in the emergency section, but he, himself, had parked in the visitor's lot, not wanting to take up spaces from other patient family members who really needed the spots. _It feels...odd. I walk around this place day after day, but I feel odd about a parking lot location. Maybe it's shock._

Parking the car, he headed to the entrance and nodded at the nurse. He didn't have the check in or ask where to go. He knew the entire staff, and they knew of his family. Whenever a Camden was in the hospital, news spread quickly. The family had shown support for a number of staff and patients, and those people were always willing to return the favor in emergencies. 

Adjusting the duffel bag, containing a pair of sweats for his son, that was hanging from his shoulder, he glanced in a waiting room as he passed by. _Wait...wasn't that...? _He backed up and looked into the room. _He should've gone home._ Sighing, he walked into the room and shook the shoulder of the young man lying on the small couch. 

Terry, curled in the fetal position, blinked a few times, rubbing his eyes. "Hmm? Oh geeze...cramp...cramps..." He reached back to ease the tension in his shoulders as his golden eyes focused on the figure standing above him. "Eric? Is it morning, well, late morning already?" Wincing, he stretched his legs and sat up. 

Eric sat next to the teen and eyed him over. He was wearing a simple pair of sweat shorts and tee-shirt. "What're you doing here?" 

"Waiting for you. I promised Simon I'd be here when it was time to go home." He stretched his legs out and reached for his feet, stretching his back. _Oh yeah...that feels good. I can't sleep on couches like I used to. Oi, I sound like my mother._ "What time is it?" 

"Nearly ten. Have you been waiting all night?" 

"No, I left for a while, and came back around three." 

"And the nursing staff just let you...stay?" 

"They thought it was sweet, and as long as I wasn't in anybody's way, they didn't mind." Terry yawned and ran his hand through his disheveled hair, trying to smooth it out a bit. 

"They wouldn't even let Annie and I--why would they give you preferential treatment? We're his parents." Eric did think it was nice thing Terry did, but he also wanted to be mad for being kicked out. 

"Well, they also deemed I was too tired to drive." Terry shrugged sheepishly. "Which, I guess I was. I just...didn't want to break my promise to him. Not when he's this vulnerable." 

Nodding slightly, Eric had to concede that Terry must've been really tired, as he was an early riser. "Alright. Come on, let's go see Simon." 

Terry smiled and stretched, standing shortly after. "That sounds great." 

~*()*~ 

Simon flipped through the limited channels on the television. _Nothing's on._ After Terry had left the night before, he had slept for a while. Not the best sleep he had gotten, he had to admit to himself, but enough that he was awake around eight. The nurse had come in shortly after that, checked his injuries, and served him a rather...tasteless breakfast. _Hospital food sucks. There's just no other way to put it. It's got to be to get people outta here faster._

He smiled a little at that. That was the first joke he had made since the night before, when it happened. 

The attack. 

He shivered and pulled he blankets around him. He wasn't cold, but the sheet acted like a thin shield from his fears, his memories. _I may have been able to sleep last night, probably from pure exhaustion, but tonight...I don't think I can do it alone._ He looked around. _Where's Terry? Or mom and dad? They promised to be here, to get me._

He shook his head. It was foolish. He was a teenager, one more year of high school before graduating for college, and he not only felt like crying, but was afraid of the dark, of sleep, and wanted his mommy and daddy. _Some man I am._

A knock brought him out of his thoughts, and he looked towards the door as his father stuck his head in. "Hey. You up?" 

Simon felt himself relax slightly. His father was here, and that meant he'd be safe. _Maybe I'm just a big baby. But don't I have a right to be after last night? _He finally nodded at his dad, who was still standing just outside the door. 

Eric walked in and glanced behind him. It took a moment for Simon to realize someone was with him. _Mom?_ He could feel his mood brighten just slightly as Terry walked in, rubbing his eyes as if he'd just woken up, but smiling nonetheless. "Terry..." 

"Morning. Sleep well?" 

Simon shifted his legs slightly. _Not as much as I would've if you'd have been with me._ Again, he nodded. "Can I go home?" 

"Doctor said you're fine. We just have to keep an eye on you for a couple days." Eric walked over to the bed, setting a duffel bag on the nearby chair. "How're you feeling?" He rested a hand on Simon's arm. 

Simon glanced at the touch. "A little restless. I kinda just want to go home." 

"That's why we're here. I brought you some sweats to change into, and we can be on our way as soon as you get dressed." Eric patted the bag and grinned at Simon. "Your mother's cooking your favorite lunch, so we'd better hurry." 

Simon nodded, but hesitated, looking at them both. _It's not that I don't trust you...but I don't want you to see._

Terry picked up on his feelings. "Eric, why don't we go check with the nurse, make sure everything's in order." 

"It is." Eric turned to look at the teen, and sat up at the look he was giving him. _Oh. Get out. Right._ "Though," he pulled his hand away from Simon's arm, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to double check." He headed for the door. 

Terry smiled at Simon once more before leaving the room as well. 

Simon waited a minute, to make sure they were gone, before pulling the sheet aside and moving to the edge of the bed. Pulling out the sweat pants, he put them on, wincing as his abdomen protested the slight bending motion he made. _I don't want them to see. _He pulled off the paper gown the hospital had dressed him in and stared at his upper arm. There were bruises in the shape of a hand, and from the looks of it, it would be a while before it faded away. _I don't want Terry to see._ He closed his eyes, trying to squelch the sob he felt. 

Resting his hands against the edge of the bed, he took a couple shuddering breaths. _It wasn't my fault. They just...attacked me for no reason. So why do I feel so...so..._ He swallowed, feeling tears gather. _Why... And...Terry...I can't let him see me like this. Weak...injured...it'd hurt him too much. I...I just have to keep the truth from him...until the bruising's gone down a little. _This time, he let a sob escape his throat. He had to stay distanced from Terry, so the teen wouldn't find out just how hurt he really was, when all he really wanted was Terry's arms to wrap around him and hold up until he didn't hurt anymore, inside or out. _I want it so much that I can feel them around me-_

Indeed, he felt two arms wrap around under his arms and up his chest, deliberately avoiding the bruising below. A chin rested on his shoulder, and Simon felt the tears start to fall down his cheeks. 

"Shhh. It's alright, Simon. It'll be alright." 

Simon tensed at the voice, and tried to steady his voice. He hadn't even heard the door open, or Terry coming up behind him. The model pulled him into an embrace-_No. No, he can't see me!_ "Wh-what are you doing back?" 

"I wanted to see how you were really feeling, Simon." Terry kissed Simon's cheek. "I know this is hard, but I want you to know that you can come to me, that I'll be here no matter what." He closed his own eyes as he noticed Simon's body failed to relax. "What're you afraid of, Simon?" 

"I-I don't want you to see me like this. You can't-" 

"I love you, Simon, and nothing will change that." 

"But it'll hurt you!" 

Terry felt a couple tears fall from Simon's face onto his hands. "Why are you worried about hurting me, Simon?" 

"Because I love you! I-I don't want you feeling any worse than you already do!" 

Terry sighed. "I love you too, Simon, but you are the one that's hurting. I know what you're trying to do, but why don't you trust me and be selfish. Even if it's just this once, ignore my feelings, and do what you want to do. Not what you think will spare me." 

Simon fisted his hands in the sheets, trying to fight Terry's words. _I can't. It'll hurt him. It'll hurt him!_

_He's right. Be selfish and do what you want. If you don't, you won't be able to heal._

_I'll heal just fine!_

_Emotionally?_

__Simon choked, feeling Terry loosen his grip. "Y-you won't like...what you see." 

"Let me be the judge of that." Terry stepped back, releasing Simon. 

Simon's resolve faltered, making him reach out to the duffle for a moment. _No...this...this is important. I have to show him..._

_No you don't. Hide the truth._

_If I do, what's to say I won't hide more things from him? _Simon's arm fell, and he slowly turned around, keeping his face towards the ground and his eyes closed. _I have to do this...because I do want him to know, because I want to be held now, not later._

It took quite a bit of willpower for Terry not to leave the room and hunt down the three jerks that did this to Simon. He had seen the bruises on the arms from the back, and made a note to be careful. But Simon's stomach was even worse, slightly swollen, discolored in some areas, and from how the muscles were clenching, painful no matter what position Simon took. _The law better get them, because I will if it doesn't._ He kept his face neutral, though, and stepped forward slowly, watching to see if Simon would pull away. 

When Simon made no move, Terry took another step forward, and reached out towards the blond. _His eyes are closed._ He barely ran his fingers over the bruises on Simon's body, then reached up and lifted Simon's head. _I wish it had been me. You don't deserve this, not someone as gentle as you._ He leaned forward and kissed Simon, gentle and soft. He held Simon only a moment, letting Simon know his feelings. "I love you. No matter what." Careful of the injured areas he wrapped his arms around Simon. "Even like this." 

Simon opened his eyes and stared at Terry, sniffing once. "I'm sorry..." 

"You have nothing to be sorry for." He stepped back and pulled the sweatshirt out of the bag. "Do you want some help? Then we'll go home, and anything you want to do, we'll do. I promise." 

Simon nodded and reached for the bottom of the sweatshirt, mindful of stretching too much for fear of hurting himself. "Terry?" 

Terry held out a sleeve for Simon. "Yes?" 

"Thank you." 

Terry smiled again and wiped the tear stains from Simon's face with the other sleeve. "You're welcome." 

~*()*~ 

Annie glanced at the living room, where Simon was resting, stretched out on the couch with an ice pack on his stomach. Lucy was in there as well, keeping him company while watching television. Eric had brought Simon home, with a rather smelly Terry, over three hours ago. Initially, Simon hadn't been that hungry, but some urging from Terry got him to eat a bit of soup, which Annie had to make separately. _At least the other lunch I prepared hadn't gone to waste._ She was rather upset that Simon's bruises made it hard for him to digest. _Guess I should've expected that._

Despite the offer for help, Simon hadn't wanted to take a shower or a bath, nor to change clothes. He just wanted to rest, maybe veg in front of the TV for a while. That was the first sign to Annie that her son wasn't truly as well as he appeared. He rarely wanted to 'veg' in front of the TV or anywhere, unless it was with Terry for a date. He hadn't smiled once, not even when Terry cracked a small joke, yet another sign he was hurting more than he was letting on. _I just wish he'd let one of us in._

From the way Terry hung around Simon, and how Simon shooed others who got too close, she knew Terry was already in, ready to help. _He can't handle this alone. He has his own stuff to work through._ Towards the third hour, Terry had talked quietly with Simon, and her son had finally let a family member get close: Lucy. He wasn't talking with her, but her presence seemed to help relax him. 

"Where's Terry gone again?" 

Eric looked up from his place in front of the fridge. "Huh?" 

Annie turned around. "I asked where Terry went." 

"Oh, to shower and change," Eric mumbled something else, but Annie missed it. 

"What was that?" 

Eric actually looked a bit nervous. "And to get a few things so that he can stay here a couple nights." 

Annie frowned. "Stay here?" 

"He wants to be near Simon, and I think it might be a good idea. Just for a short while." Eric hadn't told Annie that after using the bathroom at the hospital, he had found Terry in Simon's room, and heard most of their conversation. "Simon needs support, and barring Matt, Terry's the next best thing." 

"Matt?" Annie blinked, surprised. "Where'd that come from?" 

Eric closed the fridge and headed to the sink. "Simon...Simon just needs someone--not us--to talk with, to draw strength from. He's always done that with Matt. Matt isn't here, so that leaves Terry." He paused, thinking a moment. "I think Terry's going to try and get him to open up to Lucy, too, but until Simon comes to us, we should support his needs." 

Annie crossed her arms. "Oh really?" 

Eric sighed. "Look, I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't think Simon needed it. Really needed it. Besides," he eyed his wife, "how would you like to tell Simon that Terry's not coming back, and can only visit for short periods of time?" 

Annie's arms dropped. "Alright." She held up a hand. "But only for a few days. In a separate bedroom." 

"I wouldn't worry about that. I think Terry's too afraid of hurting Simon's bruising to...slip into bed with him." 

Annie conceded that point, for now. "Alright. So when's he due back?" 

"He said he might be a couple hours." Eric ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not sure why, if he's just showering, dressing, and packing, but that's what he said." 

"Alright. I'll go get the bed ready in Matt's old room." Annie headed up the stairs. _Matt...shoot, I'd better call him, let him know what happened. He won't be able to do anything, but he could at least call Simon and talk with him. Tonight. He's probably in school right now._

~*()*~ 

"You could only get us coach?" Matt shifted in his seat, uncomfortable. 

Mary rolled her eyes as she served her brother the complimentary dinner. "If you wanted to pay the hundred-fifty to upgrade, you should've while we were still on the ground." 

Robbie simply smiled at Mary as he got his meal. It hadn't been easy, but he had managed to get a seat next to Matt, both of which were coincidentally near the Stewardess' seats. 

Matt grumbled and looked at the meal. "You know, as a doctor I know what's in these, and we really shouldn't eat them." 

"Then don't eat it." Robbie picked up the plastic fork and jabbed it into the chicken breast. "Food's food, though. As long as it doesn't make you sick." 

"You're kidding, right? How can you eat that?" Matt reached under his seat and pulled out a bag of carrots he had brought aboard. 

"It's no worse than frozen dinners." 

"Wrong, it's way worse than frozen dinners. Even dad can make better food than this." 

Robbie gave him an incredulous look. 

Matt frowned. "Well, slightly better, at least. Hey Mary, could we get some soda?" 

Mary waved at them, acknowledging and ignoring them at the same time. 

"Hey, you know what is worse than this?" 

"What?" 

"Mrs. Camden's turkey meat loaf." 

Matt fought the urge to retch. 

~*()*~ 

Annie looked at the foil covered dish Terry was holding out to her. "What's this?" 

"Turkey meat loaf." 

Annie frowned and took it from his hands. "Why'd you bring this?" 

Terry stepped inside, shifting the strap of his bag. "Well, Simon said you've never perfected the recipe, but always wanted to try it. So," he shrugged. "It wasn't that hard, really." 

Annie didn't know whether to hug the teen or chase him out of the house. "Terry..." 

"Don't worry, I brought the recipe, too." He shut the door and looked around the kitchen. "Where's Simon?" 

"He went upstairs a while ago. I think he got tired of the TV. Or the twins playing in the same room as him." Annie set the meat loaf on the counter. "I was just about to check on him." 

"I got it." Terry headed up the stairs. 

Annie frowned, but let him go. _Simon needs Terry right now. He'll...come to us when he needs us._ Still, she was a little upset that her baby didn't need her right now, when she wanted to help so much. Sighing, she grabbed a fork and pulled the foil off the turkey. 

After Terry set his stuff down in the guest room, which Ruthie had so kindly pointed out to him, he went to Simon's door and knocked lightly. For a few minutes he heard no response, then something that sounded like a halfhearted "what" reached his ears. Putting on a smile, though not truly feeling it, he opened the door and came into the room, immediately spotting Simon on the floor. His hands were resting on his chest, and he seemed to be staring at the ceiling. "I'm back." 

"Hey." 

Terry closed the door and moved over to the bed. Sitting on it, he looked at the ceiling, then back at Simon. "What's up there?" 

"The ceiling." 

Terry raised his eyebrows. "Okay, why're you lying on the floor?" 

"I didn't want to lie on my bed. And...I've been thinking." 

"Thinking about what?" 

Simon titled his head away from Terry. "Just...stuff." 

Terry heard what Simon hadn't said. _Stuff about us. Feeling guilty about last night, about how you think you've hurt me seeing those bruises._ "You know it wasn't your fault." 

"But why, Terry? Why did it happen? Why on the night of the prom, why then and not a million other times, why me and not-" Simon suddenly closed his mouth, his eyes looking towards the floor. 

Terry finished the thought for him. "Why you and not me?" 

Simon said nothing, but could feel his 'guilt gut' eating at him; not a pleasant feeling considering his sore muscles. "Y-yeah." 

Terry nodded and laid down on Simon's bed, mimicking Simon's earlier position of staring at the ceiling. "You know, I've asked myself the same thing all night." 

Simon's head snapped towards his bed, staring at Terry. "What? But...but that was your prom! And...and you don't deserve-" 

"And you do?" 

Simon opened his mouth, but found he didn't have any answer. 

Terry let out a slow breath through his nose. "I figured out why, if you're curious, but you won't like it." 

Simon shut his mouth and thought a moment. "Why?" 

"Because they know I can defend myself. I teach self-defense twice a week, remember? They knew three jocks would be nothing to me, and I'd have no qualms hurting them. But you, you're a minister's son, the innocent Simon Camden, the peace keeper." Terry closed his eyes. "They picked you because they knew they wouldn't have a tough fight." 

Simon stared at his boyfriend, digesting what he had heard. _He's right...on every level he's right. They chose me because I'm...I'm weak._ Part of him felt a surge of anger travel through his body, anger at both himself for being so weak, and at the jerks who attacked him for being so...so...cowardly. 

"I'm not going to let it happen again, though. As soon as you're better I'm going to teach you some self-defense. I was...stupid to not teach it to you earlier. I thought I could protect you, that you wouldn't have to go through the normal crap others do because of how together this town is, and how much you mean to everyone." Terry opened his eyes. "I forgot I'm as human as the next lover, and that I can't always protect you, and that despite everything you've done, there'd be some assholes that couldn't see past their homophobia." 

Simon noticed that Terry was clenching his hands into fists. _He...he shouldn't blame himself._ "Terry...it...it wasn't your fault either." 

"I know." The fists didn't go away. "I'm just...upset. Do you know that when I went into that room, I wanted to tear those three apart for what they were doing? I only saw that they were hurting you and I wanted nothing more than to--" Terry sighed. "You don't need to hear that." 

Simon bit his lip. "Terry...if...if you need to talk about it, I'm here for you too." 

Terry's fists finally uncurled and he sat up, shaking his head. "You don't need that, Simon. You, you're going through so much already. You don't need my troubles. That's what my brother and punching bags are for." 

Simon frowned and grunted, trying to sit up. Terry was at his side immediately, helping him get upright without too much pain. Terry guided him to the edge of the bed and he slid back, resting on his elbows. While his wounds weren't too bad, without the painkillers, his bruises made it really difficult to move. "Terry, you promised to be there for me. I...I want to be there for you. And, and besides, I don't really remember what happened. Maybe...it'll help both of us." 

Terry rested his head on Simon's shoulder and drew little circles with his fingers on Simon's hand. "Maybe. But right now...I don't want to burden you with that. You're still healing, in all respects, and heaping my troubles on you wouldn't help." He sat up and ran a hand through Simon's hair. "But when you're better, I'll tell you." 

Simon thought about it a moment, then nodded. "Alright." He hesitated, unsure of himself, and leaned over and kissed Terry briefly. 

Terry smiled and kissed Simon's cheek. _Intimate contact seems to be shy again. _"So, I brought dinner over. We should get down before the others worry." 

Simon groaned, but stood with Terry's help. "More soup?" 

"Well, I can make you some. But I brought Turkey meat loaf." 

_Oh boy..._

~*()*~ 

_"Mmm...ne, aniki, do you think it's wrong for me not to tell Simon about how I felt while he was attacked?"_

_Jordon looked up from his book and raised an eyebrow. "Why're you asking me? This is a dream."_

_"Oh. That explains why the Camden's dining room is upside-down." Terry looked around, then shrugged and took Jordon's book. "Any who, what do you think?"_

_Jordon sighed. "I'm a dream and you're still asking?"_

_"Well, you probably represent the responsible, logical part of my subconscious." Terry reached up to the ceiling, grunted, and pulled a chair down, straddling it. "So let's hear."_

_Jordon raised an eyebrow at Terry. "You have been taking that psychology class for too long."_

_"Stop avoiding the subject."_

_"I think you should ask the real me. I'll just answer what you already know. Simon has a right to know. When varies, though. Later makes sense, but if you don't tell him immediately, he may worry." Jordon snatched his book back._

_Terry rested his arms on the back of the chair. "Come on, you've got to have more than that."_

_"Nope. That's all I've got. Now let me get back to my reading."_

_"You're waaaaay too much like my brother." Terry stood up, blinking as the chair shot back to the ceiling. _

_"By the way, careful about the furniture."_

_"I have weird dreams." Terry frowned. "Actually, now I have a bad feeling. What's that about?"_

_"Wake up and find out, baka."_

_"Huh?"_

__"I said wake up, Terry." 

Terry groaned and squinted, pulling the pillow off his head. "Nani?" 

Eric pulled his hand away from Terry's shoulder. "I hope that's not a swear word. Look, Simon's just woken up from a nightmare and-" 

Terry sat straight up at that. "Nightmare?!" He shoved his covers away, trying not to get tangled in them. 

"Yes, nightmare. He's fine, but he's just...he's not really responding to any of us." Eric held out Terry's bathrobe. "Could you...?" 

Terry shrugged on his robe, walking towards the door. "Always." He hurried into the hall and stopped just outside Simon's room, eyeing Annie, who was standing outside watching her son, and then the twins' room. "You might want to..." 

"I sent them up to be with Ruthie already." Annie looked into the room again. "Can you...help him?" 

"I'll try." He patted her shoulder. "You and Eric should get some sleep." 

Eric stood by his wife. "I don't think we could..." 

"But you should." Terry glanced at a clock. "Look, I brought some herbal tea that helps me sleep on restless nights. They're in the cupboard by the cookies. Make yourselves a cup, and bring one up for Simon, just in case." 

Annie stared past Terry a moment before nodding. "Alright. We'll be back soon." 

"Take your time." Terry waited until both Camden parents were on the stairs before entering Simon's room and closing the door most of the way. The lights were off, but he could make out Simon's form curled up in the corner of his bed. Well, somewhat curled. It looked like he was trying to get into the fetal position, but the bruises were preventing him from doing it. 

Sighing, Terry walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching over to rub Simon's back. When there was no reaction to the slow circles, Terry started making soothing noises with his throat, trying to coax Simon out of whatever stunned state he was in. Unfortunately, Simon was hiding his face, keeping it turned away from him. _Come on Simon, it was a nightmare. You can fight those._ He paused in his rubbing, to see if that would get any reaction. Simon shifted a bit, but otherwise remained still. 

Thinking a moment, Terry stood and took off his bathrobe, letting it fall to the floor. _Here's hoping they don't yell at either of us for this._ Pulling the covers aside, he climbed into the bed and laid down facing Simon. Slowly, not wanting to startle him, Terry pulled Simon into a hug, one hand sliding under Simon's upper arm to continue rubbing his back while the other brought the blond's head to his chest. "I'm here, Simon. It was a nightmare, but it's over. Please..." 

Nothing happened a minute, and Terry wondered if this method would work any more. Then he felt a tear slide down his chest, followed by another, and the sound of crying, Simon crying. "Shh, it's okay. I'm here, and they won't hurt you anymore. They can't hurt you anymore." Terry had no doubt in his mind that the nightmare revolved around the attack. "I won't let them hurt you. You're safe, my love, you're safe." 

Simon continued crying into Terry's chest a few more minutes before calming down slightly, hiccuping. "I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." 

"I should've told Annie I'd be sleeping with you, should have anticipated you'd need me, like when you were at my house after coming out." 

Simon sniffed, his mouth twitching into a smile for a moment. He had thought that had been the worst nightmare he had ever had, that nothing could ever be worse than his family verbally attacking him. _And then Terry came and saved me from the nightmare, my own angel._ He glanced up, trying to see his boyfriend's face. "This...this felt...worse somehow." 

"Attacks are traumatic. My brother had a friend attacked once simply because he was smart. It took months of therapy before he was even close to normal again." Terry kissed the top of Simon's head. "You're handling it far better than any of us hoped. You're very strong." 

"I don't feel it." 

"Strength isn't just fighting back. Strength is how well you can handle a crisis, how you deal with stress or a traumatic incident." He squeezed Simon's shoulder. "You are very strong, and never doubt that you are." 

Simon blushed slightly, and leaned his head against Terry's shoulder. "Will...will the nightmares go away?" 

"All nightmares do." Terry reached up to stroke Simon's blond locks. "It just takes time." 

"Time..." Simon slid an arm around Terry unconsciously, moving closer. "Time heals all wounds, huh?" 

"Something like that." 

Simon remained silent, thinking. A yawn escaped his lips. "Will...will you stay with me? Keep the nightmares away like you did before?" 

"Of course. And Simon?" 

Simon closed his eyes, listening to Terry's heartbeat. "Mm?" 

"I love you." 

"I love you too." Simon felt the earlier nightmare start to fade, replaced by the warmth of Terry. "Would...would you sing?" 

"Sing?" 

"I...just want to hear your voice. Anything you want...I just want to hear it." 

Terry stroked Simon's hair a few more times before moving down to rest on his back. "Alright." Terry closed his eyes, getting comfortable. "Tatakai no aida no, shizuka na machi ga; tsuka no ma no nemuri ni, ochite-iku..." 

Simon felt a smile return to his face, enjoying the soft vibrations as he listened to the voice drone out a slow melody. 

"Tooi hoshi no shita de, yume miru kimi ni; inori wo kme merodi, todoke you." Terry felt someone looking at him, and opened his eyes. He waved his free hand at Annie as she set the tea on Simon's desk. "Koko eoide yo, kanashii koto mo; namida mo, boku ga daite, ageru yo; subete no, itami wo, wasurerareru made..." 

Shaking her head, Annie left and closed the door behind her. _If it helps Simon...but if they do anything, they're in SO much trouble!_ She headed back down the stairs, where Eric was waiting, still staring at the tea she had made. "Well?" 

"I haven't tried it yet." He rested his chin on his hand. "Do you think we should contact Dr. Gibson? For Simon, I mean. He may want to talk to someone outside of the family." 

Annie nodded and glanced back up the stairs. "It may be for the best. Terry has his own problems with the attack." 

"Well, there's that, too." Eric ran a hand through his hair. "But I've been a therapist for kids like this before...and I can't do this for Simon. He should see a professional, to try and help him through this." 

"I know." Breaking down, Annie lifted her own mug of tea and sipped it. _Not bad...wonder if it works, though._

The sound of a key in the door startled her, and she jumped around, staring at the back door. "Eric..?" 

"Calm down. It's probably just Kevin...or Lucy..." Nonetheless, Eric picked up the phone and turned it on, dialing nine and one. 

A second later the door swung open, followed by some familiar voices. "Keep it down you two, before you wake someone up." 

"Who put you in charge?" 

"I'm the oldest, I'm always in charge." 

"Hey, I'm as old as you, and I don't throw weight around like that--Hey Mrs. Camden, Reverend." Robbie grinned sheepishly. "Surprise?" 

Matt smiled as well. "Hey guys. Didn't expect you to be up. We were just going to sneak in-" 

"And scare the living daylights out of us in the morning!" Annie shuffled around the counter and embraced Matt in a hug, followed quickly by Mary. "What're you doing home?" 

Mary glanced at the two boys, then at her parents. "Well, we heard Simon got attacked, so we thought we'd offer moral support." 

"This is great. Just what Simon needs." Eric hung up the phone and hugged his children, as well as shaking Robbie's hands. "How long can you stay?" 

"Only a couple days. We're all leaving on Tuesday." Robbie looked around. "It's good to be home, though." 

Eric headed for the stairs. "Well, Simon's probably back asleep, but if one of you don't mind sharing with Terry-" 

"Terry's going to be with Simon tonight. So Matt, Robbie, you get your old room back." 

Matt and Robbie exchanged glances, before Matt realized what his mother had said. "Wait, Terry's going to be with Simon?! Are you nuts?!" 

"Simon just needs someone to hold him, and nothing we were doing was helping." Annie didn't sound too thrilled with that. "Unfortunately, Mary, the twins are with Ruthie in the attic, so unless you want to sleep in their beds..." 

"No problem, I'll just take the couch." Mary smiled and picked up her bags, heading for the living room. 

"Right, well," Matt clapped his hands together, "it's been a long flight, so we're heading to bed." Matt bounded up the stairs. 

"Night Reverend Camden, Mrs. Camden." Robbie nodded his head and followed Matt. 

Eric sighed and glanced at Annie. "Well, it's good to have them home." 

"It's going to be heck around here, though." She picked up her tea. "Come on, let's go back to bed." 

"Right behind ya." 

Upstairs, Matt hesitated outside Simon's door. 

"Matt, leave them alone." Robbie went to the last room in the hall and dropped his bag off just inside the door. 

"I just want to make sure they're not...doing anything." Matt pressed his ear up to the door. 

"Koko e oide yo, tsukareta ai wo; kokoro wo, boku ga daite, ageru yo; subete no, itami wo, wasurerareru made; oyasumi, oyasumi, boku no, kono mune de." 

Matt frowned, but pulled away and headed for the room at the end of the hall. 

Robbie crossed his arms. "Well?" 

"I think Terry's singing a lullaby." 

"Probably to soothe Simon's nerves. Come on, I've got jet lag like you wouldn't believe. And we're going to need to get up early to help Simon." 

Matt sighed and closed the door. _That we will. Don't worry little bro, I'm here for ya. We all are._

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Urusai: shut up 

Aniki: older brother 

Nani: what 

Ne: hey, what, right 

Author's Prattle: Wow, I wasn't sure how soon I'd get this chapter out. Let me tell you, it wasn't easy. Between the small crisis at home and starting school, I wasn't sure how much time I'd have to write. As it is I'm avoiding my physics homework (Bad, Cypher, bad!) to do this. But it's physics...though it's due tomorrow...alright, alright, I get to it. Anywho, thank you for your patience in waiting for this chapter (especially my loyal readers...you know who you are!). 

The reason it's taken so long is, well, there are many. I hate heat, so whenever we get a heat wave, all my creative juices just vanish. We've had a couple lately, so that's one reason. Another is school. The classes I'm taking are set up so that I can't write during class (believe me, I'd love to in two of them). It's not so much I need to pay attention as it is there's no where for my laptop to go. Two of my classes are held in a theater, physics I do need to pay attention, and my last class, well, I hardly attend as it is. So, my writing time has been cut down to when I'm at home, and I've got other obligations here. On the plus side, Slayers Try is over and SG-1 is on repeats, so my Friday nights have opened up to writing again. 

Explanations of this chapter. Oh, let's see...eh, I just felt like writing what I felt like writing. That's really the only explanation I can offer. Simon's feelings and actions after the attack I'm pulling from various sources (including from when I was attacked), so I'm doing my best. The Turkey Meat loaf, well, I saw that episode and had to wonder WHY Annie had such problems with that, it's not exactly rocket science. So I decided to make it a small running gag. Oh yeah, and Terry's dream. Haven't you ever had dreams you can control? They're fun, though a bit confusing. The setting never makes sense. I'm still trying to figure out the one when I was near a dumpster... 

Disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven, it's characters or settings. They belong to Brenda Hampton and Aaron Spelling. I do own this plot, however, as well as Terry, Jordon, and Amber. I also don't own the song Terry was singing, entitled Nokutan (also called Nocturne). Nokutan is a song from Fushigi Yugi (Amiboshi!) and is a very slow, soothing song. Sweet, too. You can find the full lyrics at animelyrics.com. Fushigi Yugi belongs to Yuu Watase. I think that's it for disclaimers. 

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter! I don't know when the next chapter will be out, but it'll be a couple weeks at the least. I have GOT to finish my X-Men Evolution fic (my evil muse keeps poking me in the neck and I'm starting to get sore there) and a coauthor of mine is bugging me to finish another fic. So at least two weeks, maybe three, unless I get inspiration again, then I'll probably type it all out one evening. Anywho, feedback is always appreciated, and thanks for reading! 


	29. Anger Management

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

****_By Cypher_

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Anger Management 

Simon felt the bed shift and he groaned softly, reaching out for a body to cuddle with. When he found nothing nearby, he squinted his eyes open, fearful he had simply dreamed Terry had come to be with him. The warm spot and indentation right in front of him, however, reassured him that he hadn't been dreaming, and that Terry had come to him. 

Stroking the indentation softly, he closed his eyes and let out a slow breath through his nose. He wasn't ready to get up yet. Instead, he tried to remember last night. He remembered having a nightmare, and Terry coming in to comfort him, and on the edges of his memory was Terry's gentle voice, soothing him. _He must love me to put up with something stupid like asking him to sing._

He made it through the rest of the night rather well. Whenever he felt a nightmare creeping up in his unconscious, the warmth of Terry's arms around him banished the negative images. Those arms, with the sound of Terry's heartbeat had kept him in a rather comfortable slumber. _I shouldn't have tried to sleep alone. But...I felt stupid saying I couldn't._

His bed dipped, and he felt someone run a hand through his hair. He recognized the hand, and the motion. Terry had returned. _Probably just had to use the bathroom or something._

"Simon, time to get up." 

Burying his head into his pillow, he let out a murmured, "don't wanna." And it was true. He was still tired, though his mind was half conscious with all his thinking. 

"We've slept enough. It's nearly ten." 

"Ten..." _Ten's not so bad. Though...didn't I miss something?_

"At night." 

That woke Simon up. He opened his eyes and stared at Terry, before spotting the sun streaming through his window. He frowned slightly, pushing himself into a sitting position. "You-" 

"Hey, it works on my brother." Terry grinned and helped Simon, kissing his briefly. 

Simon grabbed the back of Terry's head and pulled back for another kiss, wanting to feel the tender lips against his own for a longer period of time. Terry didn't put up any resistance, but a twinge of pain from his stomach made him stop, and he pulled away, wincing. 

Terry blinked, unsure of what happened, before following Simon's line of site to his abdomen. "Hungry? Or it just hurts." 

"A bit of both, I guess." Simon licked his lips. Actually, now that Terry mentioned it, he was hungry. 

"Do you need help getting to the bathroom?" 

Simon shook his head and slowly stood up. He had to lean on Terry's shoulder a moment, but he soon gained his balance and walked towards the door, trying to ignore the pain each step elicited. 

Terry got up as well and put on his bathrobe. "After you get done we'll head downstairs and get something to eat." He smiled. "There's a surprise waiting for you, too." 

Simon groaned. He usually loved Terry's surprises, but he wasn't really in the mood. _When can I have Advil again? Oh yeah...after I eat._ "A surprise?" 

"You'll love it, trust me." Terry left the room and went down the hall to get his bag and change into something more suitable for eating in. 

Rubbing his eyes, Simon wandered into the bathroom and closed the door. After he did his business and washed his hands, he stared in the mirror. His eye was still swollen, but not nearly as bad as before. Both of his eyes were bloodshot, probably from being woken in the middle of the night by his nightmare, and waking up too early. Though he admitted to himself that now that he was up, he didn't feel nearly as sleepy as before. _Guess Terry was right. I just had to get moving._ Glancing at the clock, he confirmed that it was ten in the morning. He sighed. _I missed Dad's sermon. Not that I really wanted to go..._ The fact that his parents hadn't gotten him up only attested to how injured he was. 

Splashing some water on his face, he noticed he was a bit pale, but he figured that was because his blood seemed to be congregating in his chest and stomach. Hesitating, he lifted his tee-shirt to look at that damage. Like the eye, the bruising had settled a bit, but it was still discolored. Putting the shirt back down, he shut off the water and dried his face off. _Terry still loves me, but I'm a mess. How long before I...get back to normal? _A small part of his mind wondered if he ever would be back to normal. 

A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts. "You okay, Simon?" 

_Terry._ Opening the door, he gave Terry a small smile. "Yeah. Just...thinking." 

Terry, now dressed in a black tee-shirt and shorts, offered his hand to Simon. "I thought you could use some help down the stairs." 

Simon nodded, accepting the outstretched appendage. As they started down, he could hear voices filtering up through the stairwell. "But...who stayed home? Everyone should be at church." 

"Not everyone was up early enough. And besides, these people care enough that they wanted to wait around for you." 

Simon furrowed his brow, not understanding what Terry meant. As they neared the bottom of the stairs of their slow decent, however, his look changed from contemplation to confusion. _That...sounds like...but it couldn't be...could it?_

Terry kissed Simon's temple before making the final turn that would lead them down to the kitchen. "They came for you." 

Simon glanced at his boyfriend, then back down the stairs. _They...did?_

"Simon!" Matt, the one sitting nearest the stairwell, stood up and came over, opening his arms for a hug. "Hey there, little bro. We were beginning to wonder if you would sleep all day." 

Simon stared at Matt, somewhat shocked he was there. 

Mary came over next, simply smiling. "Hey Simon, how you feeling?" 

Simon's gaze shifted to her, and again, he wasn't sure what to say. As he reached the landing, his eyes spotted on more person in the kitchen. 

Robbie waved, but went back to cooking, and Simon's nose let him know it was scrambled eggs. 

Terry stepped away, and Simon latched onto his arm instinctively. _Is this...a dream? _

For once, Terry didn't let Simon have his way and removed his arm from the blond's grip. "It's alright, Simon. I'm just going to take over for Robbie. They're here for you, to help you." 

Simon could feel tears coming to his eyes, and he didn't want to cry, not again, even if it was because he was happy. When Matt stepped forward and embraced him, he couldn't hold back. He felt the tears escape of their own accord, and he held onto Matt, secure in the fact he was really there, and he wasn't going to leave. 

Matt glanced at Terry, but Terry simply shrugged and nudged Robbie, taking charge of the cooking. Wiping his hands on a towel, Robbie came over and crossed his arms. "Simon, you okay?" 

Simon nodded, smiling a little through the tears. "I'm just...happy to see you." 

"And we're happy to see you, too." Mary patted his shoulder. "Why don't we go to the living room and eat there, and we can talk. All of us." 

Simon nodded again and let Matt guide him. _Thank you for sending them. Thank you._

~*()*~ 

Terry rinsed off the frying pan before sticking it in the dish drainer. Breakfast had gone very smoothly, Simon smiling the entire time. He wasn't upset that he couldn't make Simon happy at the moment. He could help Simon, but he wasn't completely what the blond needed right now. 

"Really, I just want to give Terry a hand with the dishes. I'll be back soon." Robbie pushed open the door and stepped in, surveying the area. 

"I'm afraid you're a bit late. Since you cleaned up the mess from the other family members, it didn't take me long to clean this up." 

"That's alright. I really wanted to talk with you." Robbie put his hands in his pockets and leaned against a cupboard. "Are you okay with this? I mean, we just showed up and pretty much took over taking care of him." 

"Why wouldn't I be okay with it?" Terry dried his hands and went over to the refrigerator, opening it and searching for a bottle of water. 

"Well, I mean, you were sleeping with him." 

Terry chuckled and closed the door, cracking the bottle open and taking a few sips. "I was helping him through a rough night. I said it when he came out, and I'll remind you now: I can only help him so much. Nothing can replace his family." He glanced at the door to the living room. "I'm glad you came. I was going to call Matt and see if he could come for a few days anyway." 

"Why?" 

"Because if I had been attacked I would want my big brother to be there for me, too. Simon needs support and love. I can give him both, but nothing, and I mean nothing, can replace the ones given by siblings. He didn't just let Lucy sit with him yesterday. He allowed Lucy to sit with him because he could feel her support, her love." Terry took another drink from his bottle. "He's fragile right now, vulnerable, and he needs all the love he can get. Before I came along he got it from Matt more than anyone else. He needs Matt to heal. Even if it's only for a few days." 

Robbie watched the younger teen, wondering briefly just how old he really was. _He makes a good point, though._ "Alright, if you're sure." 

"Robbie, Simon is smiling. I haven't been able to keep a smile on him for more than a few minutes. He needs this." Terry set the bottle down and rubbed his arm. "And it gives me some time to myself. To work on my own issues." 

Blinking, Robbie's mind quickly shifted gears. "Hey, that's right. How're you doing? We were so focused on Simon that-" 

"I never even crossed your mind. I know." Terry sighed. "I'd love to say I was okay, but I'm not. The man I love was attacked. And I wasn't there to protect him until after he was hurt. I know it's not my fault, but I can't help feeling partially responsible." 

"You're not-" 

"I know, I know. That doesn't mean the feelings will just up and vanish, though." Terry ran a hand through his unruly hair. "I guess part of me wonders if I should ask Simon for forgiveness. If I hadn't asked him, he wouldn't have come, and he wouldn't have gotten hurt." 

"You could also argue that if you hadn't started dating him, this never would've happened as well." 

Terry nodded. 

"Of course, he could've still been beaten up for any number of reasons, or hurt in other ways. He could've grown up never knowing his true feelings and been lonely through most of his life." 

Terry frowned and looked at Robbie. "Your point being...?" 

"You've got nothing to be forgiven for. You love Simon, yes?" 

"Of course-" 

"And Simon loves you. While you were in here he was saying how great you've been through this." Robbie crossed is arms. "Simon doesn't blame you. If anything, he blames himself." 

"I told him he shouldn't-" 

"And neither should you." Robbie rubbed his hair, thinking. "You're as much as mess as Simon, it sounds like." 

"I guess I am a bit." Terry chuckled. "Talk about the blind leading the blind." 

"You did what you had to in order to help Simon. Now why don't you do something to help yourself. Maybe see a therapist or write your feelings down or something. When Simon's better, you won't want him to have to take care of you, do you?" 

"No, of course not." Terry picked up his bottle and took another drink, thinking. "Some people say you should face your problem head on." 

"What's wrong with that?" 

"If I go see those three assholes, I don't know if I can keep my temper long enough to actually face them." 

Robbie raised his eyebrows. "You always seemed pretty calm to me." 

"It's a family trait. We're very protective over who we love. One time my brother practically tore apart this jerk that put a gash in my arm." He shook his head at Robbie's questioning expression. "LA. Things got a little rowdy from time to time. The point is, we're fiercely protective, and if I face my problems, the people that caused this pain, I don't know if I could walk away without hurting them." 

Robbie tilted his head and rubbed his chin. _So there is a dark side to Terry. _"Well, instead of facing them directly, why don't you face them indirectly? Testify at the school, go to the court hearings, do everything you can to see that justice is served." 

"Oh, I intend to do all that. There's no way I'm letting them get away with this. I'm just worried I won't find the closure that I need." 

Robbie couldn't argue with that. _But what else can he do? Maybe he just needs some...help._ "What if someone went with you, to keep you in line?" 

"I don't really want Simon seeing me at my worst." 

"I meant me." 

Terry looked at him. 

"Well, if it'll help you get over it, then I don't mind. I'm not nearly as riled with them as Matt, so I can keep my cool. And maybe once you've worked through your problems, you can help Simon even more. You won't be guarding your anger or feelings from him, because you'll have worked through them. Sound like a plan?" 

Terry stared at the adopted Camden sibling. It took his mind a few minutes to process everything. "I...you...when did you become so...knowledgeable?" 

Robbie shrugged and walked to the door. "Well, I have taken a job at a crisis center. I guess some of it rubbed off." 

"Guess so. I'll call Kevin, see if I can arrange the meeting." 

"Later. I think Simon's smile might get bigger if you joined us." Robbie held open the door. 

Smiling a little, Terry bowed his head and headed for the living room. 

~*()*~ 

The first sound that reached Eric's ears as he entered the kitchen made him pause. _Is that Simon...laughing?_ A glance to his wife confirmed that he wasn't the only one who heard it. Setting his keys down, he followed the sound through the dining room and into the living room. Leaning against the door frame, he smiled at the scene before him. 

Simon was sitting on the end of the couch, grinning at Matt as he related a story of some cases that came through the hospital where he interned. Mary was resting in the chair, a glass of water in her hand. Robbie was on the other couch leaning forward and also listening, though Eric noted that Robbie's gaze flitted between Simon and Terry. The latter teen was sitting on the floor in front of Simon, watching his boyfriend with a faint grin. _Wonder why he's on the floor. Maybe it's to stay close._

"Is that the same Simon that looked so small and depressed yesterday?" 

Eric put his arm around Annie's shoulders as Simon chuckled at something Matt said. "Yeah, I think it is. I guess all he needed was Matt." 

"But not me." Annie sighed. "I just wish he'd come to us. I feel so helpless." 

"Simon will open up to us in his own time. And besides, Matt will eventually push him towards us, especially when he has to go. He knows Simon will need someone other than Terry to lean on and he'll suggest us." 

Annie looked at Eric. "How can you know that?" 

"Because I know Matt, and he wants Simon to get well. He'll help direct Simon on how to do that." Pulling his arm away he glanced at his office. "I need to make Simon's appointment with Dr. Gibson. Once I do that I'll help you make lunch." 

"Alright." Annie patted Eric's arm and headed for the kitchen. 

Eric watched the people in the living room another minute before turning away and walking towards his office. _I'm glad Matt came home. He seems to be exactly what Simon needs._ He was also glad the others were home, but they were only moral support. It seemed to be only Matt who cheered Simon up. _I wonder how long it'll last._ Eric did have some reservations that when Matt left, Simon would become depressed again. _We'll just have to hope that doesn't happen._ Pushing his thoughts aside, Eric picked up the phone and dialed Dr. Gibson's number. 

~*()*~ 

Matt ran a hand through his hair and glanced in the mirror behind him. After the family had come home from church, it didn't take long for the living room party to break up. Mary left first, wanting to catch up with Lucy. Robbie was commandeered by Ruthie and the twins shortly afterward, and like a good big brother Robbie let them. Simon's mood had dipped momentarily at their absence, but otherwise he continued to talk and appeared happy. Before long, though, Terry got a call on his cell phone from his brother, and he had to run home for something. Kissing Simon's forehead and promising to be back in a couple hours, Terry left Simon in Matt's hands. 

Matt noticed, however, that when Terry left Simon's mood changed. He hunched over as he sat, like he was shielding himself from some danger. His smile was still present, but to Matt it seemed forced, hollow. Matt knew something was definitely up when he told a joke and Simon didn't laugh, as he had done earlier. At first Matt was a bit upset as he thought he was the reason Simon's mood had improved. Before he could think too much on it, though, he heard his parents in the kitchen and decided to help Simon clean up before lunch. 

So, with much prodding and pushing, Matt convinced Simon to take a shower, though Simon had the condition that Matt remain nearby in case he needed help. Matt agreed, and while he felt his anger rise when he saw Simon's injuries, he clamped down on it and simply offered a supportive smile. Now that Simon was in the shower, Matt was sitting on the toilet, waiting. His mind wandered without him meaning for it to. It started on how fragile Simon seemed, and then went to what he wanted to do to those that had attacked Simon, followed shortly by what could be done medically to help heal the bruising and ease Simon's pain. He started paying attention to his mind when it couldn't move past Terry's exit, and how his absence brought Simon's mood down. _But he was smiling and laughing because of me, right? It wasn't a front, I'd have picked up on that. So why was Terry's leaving so...hurtful to him?_

Picking up a rubber ducky, he tossed it from hand to hand, trying to work it out. _Well, let's look at it from Simon's point of view. Terry was here, but he didn't say much on account of us. He slept with Simon, but he didn't seem very clingy._ The image of Simon clutching onto Terry's arm after coming down the stairs, almost as if he was afraid to be left alone, came to the forefront of his mind. _Okay, maybe he is a bit clingy._

Shifting back, he tossed the bath toy into the air. _Maybe that's it. He's afraid to be alone, to not have Terry nearby. But he feels somewhat safe with me, otherwise he'd turn into a lump, like yesterday. Lucy said he just kinda sat there. But what about his smile? Why did he stop...smiling?_

Glancing at his watch, he did a double take as he realized Simon had been in the shower twenty minutes. Setting the duck aside, he stood and gripped the edge of the shower curtain. "Simon? You okay in there, buddy?" He waited a minute for Simon to respond, but nothing was forthcoming. "Simon?" Trying not to let his worry show, he pushed the curtain aside. 

He had to steel himself again as he saw his brother's body, the injuries accented red by the hot moisture. Simon himself didn't look much better. He was resting against the wall staring off at nothing as the steaming hot water pounded against him. Matt wasn't sure what had put Simon into this shocked state, but he knew he had to snap his brother out of it. 

Turning off the stream of water, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around Simon's shoulders, guiding the teen out of the tub. "Hey, come on Simon. It's alright." It took him a few minutes to steady Simon, but once he had, Matt grabbed another towel and began to gently dry Simon off. The younger man flinched when Matt patted the bruised areas, and Matt began to suspect that they were the cause for Simon's current mental state. _Seeing himself in the shower and washing must've...shocked him or something._ As he thought about it further, Matt realized that all morning Simon had kept himself well covered, constantly tugging his sleeves and shirt down. 

Drying Simon's hair, Matt berated himself mentally. _And I push him to take a shower. Great thinking, Matt. Some way to take care of your brother._ Tossing the towels aside, Matt took Simon's robe from its hook and draped it over the blond's shivering form. "It's okay, Simon. You're safe. Let's just go to your room and get you dressed." 

Simon didn't really respond, but Matt knew at least part of his message got through as Simon first blinked slowly, then walked towards the door. Gathering up the discarded clothes Simon had been wearing earlier, Matt followed his brother silently. _When's Terry getting back? It looks like Simon could really use his support right now._

~*()*~ 

"I can't believe those...those...those komon!" 

Robbie sat back on Terry's couch as the teen prowled the living room. An hour after the twins and Ruthie had pulled him away from Simon, he had decided to see how things were going with the group he had left downstairs. He found out Terry had gone home and Matt was getting Simon cleaned up. So, thinking that it would be a good chance to help Terry through his emotional problems, he borrowed Simon's car and went over to the model's house. 

He found that Terry was well ahead of him, and had already dealt with his brother's problem. When he had arrived, Terry was on the phone to the police to try and set up a group session between him and the three attackers. While Robbie hadn't heard the entire discussion, the end result was very clear: his request had been denied. 

"What about the right to confront them?! Don't those idiots know I have the right to at least do that?! Assholes..." Terry collapsed on the other couch and glared at the coffee table, as if it were the cause for his anger. 

Robbie filed the word 'komon' away mentally to look up its meaning, though he had a feeling it wasn't a word that should be repeated in public. _This is just his anger culminating after building up for so long. He was going to unleash it on the three boys, and now he doesn't have that outlet, so it's exploding now._ He wondered if perhaps he had hung around Reverend Camden too much, as he didn't used to know that much about emotional states. "It could just be that the parents are afraid of what you'd do to them. You've already hurt them pretty well." 

"You bet I did! Those damnable ignorants were assaulting the man I love! What was I supposed to do? Ask them to stop nicely?" 

Robbie ignored the sarcastic tone and held up his hands. "I understand, Terry. If someone had attacked my girlfriend, I'd probably do the same thing." 

"I doubt it." Terry ran a hand through his hair and sat back on the couch. "I was ready to just...dispense with them and damn the consequences. They hurt Simon, and not just physically." He crossed his arms and stared at the floor, torn between his anger and his concern for his boyfriend. "What if they've truly scared him psychologically? What if...what if the sweet, generous Simon that I love, that we all love, is gone because of what they've done?" 

"Simon's still recovering, but there's no reason to think he'll be changed too much by this. He has a loving and supportive family, he has you, and he has his friends." Robbie clasped his hands together. "It's you I'm worried about. Your brother and best friend are overseas, and your mother is...well, who knows. I think Simon will return from wherever he is because of the support he has. But you...will you recover?" 

"I've lived this long with little support before-" 

"But now your built in support is gone. Your brother isn't going to be here to talk to you, you can't go over and rant to your best friend, and your teacher's retired. All you have is, well, yourself, and the Camdens." 

Terry frowned, his glare returning as he looked at the table again. "Thanks for pointing that out, Robbie, because after all, I had no clue about who I had in my life." 

"I didn't mean-" 

"I know I'm alone, okay?! I don't need you to remind me! You don't think I wish Jordon where here right now so I could yell and hit and cry and hug him as much as I needed to get this out of my system? You don't think I want Amber here to give me advice and tips on how to handle the stress? You don't really think I don't know how alone I am right now and how I hate it? I know, Robbie!" Terry dropped his head into his hands. "God I wish Jordon was here." 

Robbie took no offense to the outburst. Terry was just upset at the moment, and understandably so. _The question is, how can I help when he's hurting so much? He blames himself, he hates those three boys, and he fears how Simon will come out. That's a lot to cover, and I have no idea where to start._ "So, um, what would you do if he was here?" 

Terry looked over to him. "Probably engage in a sparing match while ranting, which would eventually lead to a breakdown with me crying and him holding me. Then maybe we'd clean up, lie down, and just talk through things a bit..." He put his head back down. "And no, you wouldn't make a good substitute. For one thing, I'd land you in the ER room on the sparing alone." 

Robbie conceded that point. "Well...why don't you visit him? Or he visit you for a few days?" 

"I won't leave Simon, and he's got school." 

_Okay, so much for that idea. _Robbie rubbed his chin. "What about the gym? Can't you let out your anger at a punching bag or something?" 

"Nothing is quite as satisfying as beating up your brother." A small smirk touched Terry's face before fading away. "But yeah, I think I'll be heading for the gym a lot more than I have." 

"So that takes care of your physical anger. What about your emotional anger? You have to deal with that, too." 

"I know, Robbie. I'm not a kid." 

"So you'll see a therapist?" 

"If I have to. I'm hoping Amber and Jordon will make themselves more available, though." 

"You don't like therapists?" 

Terry ran a hand through his hair. "No, but I've always found it easier to talk my problems over with my family." He closed his eyes. "I'll call my mom, though, see if she would recommend someone." 

Robbie nodded. "You do need to rant to someone about those, how did you put it? 'Damnable ignorants.' Otherwise the anger will eat you away inside." 

"Yes, yes, I know." Terry let out a frustrated sigh through his nose before composing himself. "So...we should head back." 

"You're already okay?" Robbie frowned. _He got over it way too quickly._

"Hardly, but I promised Simon I'd be back, and I have to be okay for him. Besides I...feel we should get back soon." Terry stood and grabbed his helmet. "So let's head back." 

Shaking his head, Robbie got up and pulled out the keys to Simon's car. 

"Robbie?" 

Robbie paused and looked at Terry. 

"Thanks. I...you have helped, really." 

"Any time." Robbie patted Terry's back and headed out the front door. 

Pulling on his helmet, Terry shut the door behind him and headed for his bike. 

~*()*~ 

_Everything seemed to be going in slow motion, almost as if reality were drenched in some gel. Before he could really register it, though, a fist struck his face._

_"Faggot!"_

_Two arms hauled him up, twisting them, hurting him. _

_"You think you can just show up here? We don't want your kind!"_

_Someone jerking one of his arms, bruising it. He tried to call out, but he didn't. He couldn't. Why? What kept him quiet?_

_"You call yourself a Christian? You're not Christian! You're an abomination!"_

_A fist connected with his stomach, and he tried to double over, to protect himself, but the hands wouldn't let him go._

_"We're gonna make sure your boyfriend never wants to touch you again, you freak!"_

_More fists struck him. In his stomach, in his chest, he couldn't breathe, everything was blurry. This couldn't be happening, not tonight, not ever. But it was._

_"Go ahead and cry, queer, like the girl you are!"_

_And then suddenly the fists stopped, and the hands let him go and he fell. He couldn't stop himself, he just collapsed and curled up, wishing for help, for salvation, for anyone to come and save him._

_And then two new hands touched him, gently, kindly. And a voice he knew, a voice he felt safe with..._

"Simon. Simon?" 

Simon blinked and looked up at the figure before him, Matt, he realized after a minute. He had a concerned look on his face, and his shirt was slightly damp. It took Simon a few more minutes to orient himself, to remember where he was. Once he was able to establish that he was sitting on his bed in his room, he tried to calm himself down. His heart was still pounding, but he wasn't breathing as hard as he was a moment ago. Closing his eyes, he swallowed a couple of times, and that seemed to work. 

He felt the bed dip and Matt rub his back. He hunched his shoulders slightly, once more protecting himself. "Are you okay, Simon? You really gave me a scare when you started hyperventilating." 

Simon nodded. "Yeah, and I'm...sorry." 

"So why don't you tell me what put you into such a shocked state?" 

Simon bit his lip and looked at the floor. He didn't know if he wanted to share what he remembered. _But...I owe him for bringing me out of that memory, and for scaring him, right? Though...if he hadn't pushed me to shower, to see myself and my wounds in their entirety, I never would've remember. So it's his fault, and I don't owe him, right?_ He glanced up and took in his brother's caring but worried look. _I have to tell someone, and I don't want to tell Terry, or mom or dad, and Lucy...Lucy doesn't deserve to hear my horror story. _Sighing, he fell back on his bed. "I...remembered." 

He felt Matt lie next to him, felt his eyes watching him. Simon sighed again and deliberately didn't meet Matt's look. He was having enough trouble not breaking down without seeing if Matt was giving him a sympathetic or pitying look. 

"Remembered?" 

"The attack. I remember everything. What they said, what they did...everything." _And truth be told, I wish I didn't. _

"You didn't before? But you had a nightmare." 

"Before I could only really remember the emotions, how I felt. Before, everything was a blur between that first hit and being protected in Terry's arms. I...I couldn't see the people, or hear what they were saying. I just knew I was hurt and scared, and I couldn't cry no matter how much I wanted to. Now I know why..." Simon turned his head to the side and stared at the wall. He was even closer to crying than before, and he didn't want to. Not in front of Matt, not with the accusation he remembered in his head. 

A hand grasped his and Simon squeezed it reflexively, trying to draw strength from the grip. _He understands this is hard. He's not pushing me. He's just letting me get it out at my own pace._

"It's okay to cry in front of me, Simon. I won't think less of you. No one will. This was traumatic, and crying can relieve some of the stress." Matt sat up a bit, trying to see Simon's face. 

"But that's what they wanted! To make me...make me less of a man!" Despite his outburst, he felt a few tears escape his eyes and slide down his cheeks. _No! I won't cry. I can't!_

Matt started rubbing Simon's arm gently, trying to convey comfort without hurting a bruise. "You're not less of a man for crying, Simon. I taught you that-" 

"And look where it got me! Your way just proves that they're right, that crying does make me less of a man!" 

"Why? Because three idiots with their heads up their butts say so? Not a very convincing argument." 

"What do you know! You've never been hurt like this! You don't know how much I'm hurting, how afraid I am!"   
Matt remained silent for a minute, then responded in a quiet voice. "You're right, I don't. But I'm trying to help, to empathize, to understand. No one deserves this, least of all you. But it has happened, and you've got cope, to not let it destroy you. If you let what they've done change you, make you bitter and terrified of not just the world, but your own personal values and beliefs, then you've let them win." Matt squeezed Simon's hand. "Don't let them win. You're stronger than that, better than that. We all know you can beat this, you just have to know that yourself." 

Simon deflated at Matt's statement, grabbing his pillow and hugging it as the tears continued to fall. _I haven't been fair to him, to any of them, but it's so hard. I...I'm afraid to be vulnerable, even with my family._ He felt Matt scoop him up and hug him, and all of a sudden he found himself crying, letting himself cry to someone other than Terry. And he found it...wasn't as scary as he thought it would be. In fact, it was relieving. 

Matt continued to hold Simon, finding himself remembering earlier times, when Simon had been younger and still needed to be held and protected by his big brother. _If only I lived closer, I could really be here for you._ He made a mental promise to visit and call more often than he had. 

After a while Matt felt Simon calm down and pulled away. "Feeling better?" 

"Yeah, a little." Simon rubbed his arms and sat back, sniffing slightly. He knew Matt would probably push him to tell everything he remembered about the attack. _I don't think I can share it, not yet._

"Alright." Matt ruffled Simon's hair. "You don't have to say anything to me. I won't push, I know this is hard." Matt held up a hand as Simon's mouth dropped open. "But you have to promise me you'll tell someone, someone other than Terry. Mom, dad, the therapist, someone. And don't even think you're getting out of therapy. You need to talk to someone outside this family. And remember, don't let anyone push you to tell when you're not ready. We all want you to heal, but you must always remember to do it at your own pace and in your own time." 

Simon nodded, closing his mouth and staring at his older brother. Matt's tone was warm, but it left no room for argument. Shifting a little, he rested against Matt and closed his eyes. "Thank you. I...I guess I just needed to hear it." 

"You've been through a hardship, Simon. This will be a bumpy road, but we'll be here for you, all of us. And you know that day or night, if you need to reach me, you can." Matt hugged Simon again. "Alright? I'll always be here for you, even when I'm not physically here." 

"Alright." Simon sat there for a bit, trying to push the memory of his attack away, to live in the now. "Matt? I...I love you. And thank you, really." 

"I love you too, little bro. Now, why don't we get you dressed and we'll head down to lunch." 

Simon nodded and sat up, reaching for a shirt. "Do you think...do you think Terry's back yet?" 

Matt raised an eyebrow. "Trying to get rid of me already?" 

Simon smiled briefly at the thin joke. "No, but...I just feel safer with him. And after remembering that...I could really use a hug from him. A reminder that he saved me, that it's over." 

Matt understood and patted Simon's shoulder lightly. "I'm sure he'll be back any minute." He stood up and headed for the door. "I'm going to grab another shirt, then we'll head down, alright?" 

"Okay." Simon struggled with his shirt, but was proud that he could get it on without help. He looked around and put on a clean pair of sweat pants. _Terry can help me find something comfortable and easy to put on tomorrow. _He walked towards the door. _Though...I really should get used to not having him around again...right? _He shook his head. _Maybe in a couple days. Right now...I don't think I could make it without him._ He felt Matt's hand on his shoulder, and nodded in greeting, starting down the stairs slowly. 

~*()*~ 

Terry hung back as Simon hugged his brother and sister good-bye. The last couple days had passed quickly, with Simon coming out of his shell inch by inch, slowly returning to his normal self. He still couldn't go a night without Terry nearby to chase the nightmares away, especially now that he remembered the attack itself, and wasn't just dealing with the emotions. _I wish I could've been there to help, Simon._ The instant he and Robbie had stepped through the doorway, Simon had come over and hugged him tightly, so much that Terry lost his breath for a moment or two. 

Matt had explained what had happened later, while Robbie and Simon had played a short game of checkers. Terry was extremely grateful for Matt handling it, and had hugged Matt in thanks, though the older Camden seemed a bit uncomfortable at the gesture. Simon had talked to him as well, explaining what had happened and why he had clung to Terry so much earlier. Terry was just glad to see Simon get better. 

Other things happened as well. Eric had set up an appointment with Doctor Gibson, who Terry was driving Simon to after seeing his siblings off. Mary had talked to Annie and it was decided Simon would get some time off from school, though Terry announced he would attend school after a couple days. He was graduating, after all, but he didn't remind Simon of that. Simon's mood was finally picking up, and Terry didn't want to depress him with the thought that he might go in about a month. _I'd tell him, but I don't want to ruin the surprise._ Terry smiled a bit at that thought. 

"Hey there." Robbie put a hand on Terry's shoulder. 

"Hey." 

"You going to be okay?" 

Terry nodded. He was making regular visits to the gym, to work out his anger. He had also called Amber to try and set up a true venting session with both her and his brother, and that was going to happen in a couple days. It wasn't conventional, but then again, he had never been really conventional. "It'll take a while, but I think I'll be able to put it behind me. Especially for him." 

Robbie glanced at Simon. "Well, if you ever need to talk, you have my number." 

Terry nodded again and offered his hand. "If I ever need to talk, I'll call. I promise." 

Robbie shook the offered hand and headed for the boarding area, giving Simon a brief hug on his way. 

Terry shifted his weight and returned the wave Mary gave him. She hadn't said much, other than the suggestion for a break academically for Simon, but the moral support she offered just being present aided Simon. He raised his eyebrow when Matt said something to Mary and headed over towards him. _Hmm?_

"Um, Terry...thanks for taking care of him, and watching out for him." 

"I love him, Matt. I always will." 

"Yeah, well...thanks." He glanced at Simon, who was giving both of them a curious look. "Look, I don't mind you holding Simon at night or anything, but if you and he-" 

"I promise his honor shall not be besmirched under the eaves of your parents' house." Terry chuckled. "Don't worry, Matt. Neither of us are ready for that, and we know that." He patted Matt's arm. "Have a good flight home. And I'll remind Simon to call every now and then." 

Matt hesitated, then nodded and headed back towards the plane, hugging Simon once more before boarding. 

Terry tossed his keys into the air a couple times as Simon made his way back over. "So, you ready?" 

"Not really." Simon looked out the window to the planes as he stuffed his hands into his jeans. "I'm just...a bit nervous, you know? And Matt just left..." 

"We'll do fine, Simon. And he'll always be just a phone call away." He hugged Simon and kissed his forehead. "We'll be fine, Simon." 

Simon lifted his head and locked his lips with Terry's. He needed the connection, the reminder he was still in the now. 

Terry broke the connection quickly, though, squeezing Simon's waist. "We need to go. You'll be late." 

Sighing, Simon nodded. "As long as...as long as we continue later." 

Terry grinned. "Deal." 

~*()*~ 

Simon removed his helmet and stared at the office in front of him. He felt a bit out of place here, and he still wasn't sure if he could go through with this. _But I promised Matt I would, and I do need to talk with someone. I can't keep this inside. _He felt an arm wrap around his shoulders as Terry kissed his neck. 

"You sure you don't want me to wait and bring you home? I wouldn't mind." 

Simon set his helmet on the back of Terry's motorcycle and turned around, pulling his boyfriend into a hug. He did want Terry to be there, but he didn't want to burden the model with any emotional fallout that might occur from the session. "I'm sure. Lucy's going to come and get me." He held Terry tighter. 

Terry stroked the back of Simon's neck and dipped his head to give Simon one last kiss before leaving. While he had figured out how to deal with his issues, he knew it was ten times harder for Simon. _I'm here for you, though, and I'll be as stable and present as you need. Always._

Simon broke the kiss after a few minutes and let out a content sigh. "Thank you. I needed that." 

Terry smirked. "Anytime." 

Stepping back and unzipping his jacket, Simon smiled softly. "So...I'll see you tonight?" 

"Of course. I promised I would be there for you for as long as you need, and I meant it." Terry ran a hand through his hair. 

Simon nodded. "Alright. I'll...see you when I get home." 

Terry smiled and put his own helmet back on. "See you there." 

Simon waved before turning and walking into the rectangular building. Doctor Gibson was on the fourth floor, and as he waited for the elevator, he glanced around, his nervousness growing. He was about to tell a stranger his innermost thoughts, his fears and possibly desires. So little in his life was private, and now he was going to open his most secret of places to somebody his dad had set him up with. 

_Dad..._ Simon leaned against the back of the elevator as it slowly ascended. He took comfort in the fact that his father had done the same thing and had emerged pretty much unscathed. _If he can do it, so can I._ He stepped into the hallway and walked towards the office. _Matt's also expecting me to, and he usually knows what's best for me._ He waited outside the office door, staring at the nameplate. _And Terry...I want to get better, not just for me, but for him as well._

The door opened and Simon found himself face to face with Doctor Gibson. "I was about to see if you had gotten lost. Won't you come in?" 

Simon stepped around the doctor and took a seat on the couch, flashing briefly to another time he sat on a couch, feeling just this nervous. _That time Terry helped me, and I found who I was._ He settled back, relaxing a bit as the doctor took his seat. _I think...I think I can find myself again. _

__~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Komon: asshole (in this case, it has multiple meanings) 

Author's Prattle: Well, after a LOOOOONG delay, here's Chapter 29! Sorry it's a bit...jumbled, but it was a difficult chapter to write, ironic since I've experienced at least half the events that occurred. But Simon and Terry just wouldn't work in my head. Plus I had this homicidal mutant screaming in my other ear, along with a couple SG-1 slash plot bunnies, and of course school is always tossing crap at me. That reminds me...physics homework. 

Disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven, its characters or settings. They belong to Brenda Hampton and Aaron Spelling. I do own the plot, Terry, Jordon, and Amber. Ask permission before using them, please. 

As for chapter thirty...I've started it, but it's NaNoWriMo, and I figure I'll be pretty busy until December, and then there's Christmas shopping and finals...to tell the truth, I have no idea when the next chapter will be out. Life was so much easier when I only wrote in two or three genres...damn you creative juices! Any who, I'll try to have it out soon. As always, I hope you enjoyed, and reviews are welcome! 


	30. The Graduation Gift

**God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World**

_By Cypher_

__Chapter Thirty: The Graduation Gift 

Simon smiled briefly at the classmates passing him as he rested against his locker. His reintegration into school had gone rather smoothly. His teachers had been very supportive, setting up an academic schedule to make up his missed work. His friends were also there for him, helping him get around when his injuries acted up and defending him when someone tried to pick on him for what happened, for who he was. 

_I guess the attack was permission for other homophobes to come out of the woodwork._ His defenders were putting them back in their place, though, and the school had issued an announcement of zero tolerance of discrimination, including homosexuality. _Not quite the effect I wanted to have on the school._ He knew it was for the best, though. It would help protect future gays who came out at the school, who wanted to date openly. 

It protected him as well, for which he was grateful. Granted, he had to testify at the expulsion hearing and at juvenile court, but after that he just didn't attend them. There was too much emotional torrent around both settings, especially with his attackers so close. Terry, on the other than, had attended each session of both events, and kept him updated about the proceedings. 

While it took time, the three jocks had been expelled from the school district for a year, which, as seniors, was a big blow against them. The court hearings were more eventful. Simon's teary testimony and Terry's heated report of the events at the dance had helped sway the jury, but the two people who had held him only got off with simple probation. Terry was peeved at that, but considering the damage his boyfriend had already inflicted upon the two boys, it evened out in Simon's mind. The attacker and 'ringleader,' as the prosecution had put it, landed himself two years in a minimum security facility. Simon had felt a bit guilty at the punishment, but Terry reminded him of the emotional roller coaster the attack had caused. 

Leaning his head back, Simon sighed. That was the end of the legal debacle Terry had asked if he wanted to pursue civil suits, but Simon told him he didn't want to, he just wanted to let it go. Doctor Gibson was as surprised as Terry when Simon told him, but both of them understood when Simon explained he just wanted the whole ordeal over, he just wanted to move on. The Doctor had said that was a good sign. _Terry..._ Terry hadn't said anything, but had given Simon a proud grin and held him, just held him. And after that, Simon finally began to feel like his old self again. 

_Doctor Gibson._ He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. That man had become a regular in this past month. Twice a week he'd go in and talk about what was bothering him, what had made him feel like crying, or feel angry, or feel nothing at all. At first he was rather shy, not talking about anything significant. Gibson was patient, though, and after a couple sessions, Simon found himself suddenly talking about his memories and feelings of the attack. It was...a relief. Afterwards he was so drained that he just fell asleep after Lucy brought him home. He didn't wake up until Terry had come to get him for dinner. 

This time Simon smiled at himself. Terry had kept his promise and was currently residing in what used to be called the Hello Kitty room. Granted it took about a week before Terry slept in that room, but the teen hadn't objected to sharing Simon's bed. After this week, though, after graduation, he was going back to his own house, presumably to pack for college. _This past month has been great, though. With him right there when I needed him, giving me space when I asked, but still somewhere so I would feel safe. He must really love me. I...wonder how college will change him._

Terry going away to college still bothered Simon, but Terry never brought it up. _Probably because he knew it would upset me while I was healing, and he didn't want to make things any harder._ So, Simon had decided that just this one, he was going to listen to the old adage, that ignorance was bliss. And thus far it had been, though Doctor Gibson had received an hour long diatribe on his fear of Terry leaving him, of losing him. Matt had heard some of Simon's fears as well in the now biweekly calls they made to each other. Matt understood his fears better than anyone, and that was mainly because of his numerous failed long-distance relationships. _But Matt also said Terry wouldn't let that happen, and that I should remember his mistakes, and learn from them._

"Hey handsome." 

An arm wrapped around Simon's waist and he rested his head on the shoulder he knew would be there. "Hey." He glanced up to his boyfriend. "What kept you?" 

Terry let out a sigh through his nose and ran a hand through his hair. "The VP asked me to be one of the graduation speakers." 

"That's great. Matt was Valedictorian, and he-" 

"I turned her down." 

Simon blinked and stood up, readjusting the strap of his book bag. "What? Why? It's a great honor." 

"Speaking in front of Congress is a great honor. This...I don't want to give a speech with people who are only there because their GPA allows them to be. Everyone should have a chance to read. Instead, the school chooses who they think are the best and the brightest." Terry leaned against the lockers, facing Simon. "It's not right to exclude people just because they're not good at taking tests." 

Simon patted his bag. "I...get it, but it would still be pretty cool if you gave a speech." 

Terry shrugged and headed for the parking lot. "It's just something I never really wanted to do. My brother did it, and even to him it wasn't that big a deal." He glanced over his shoulder. "If it means that much to you, though-" 

Simon caught up to the model and kept pace next to him. "Don't do anything you don't want to do. I just think it'd be...kinda cool if you did, that's all." He stuck his hands in his pocket and scanned the lockers as they walked. _I'd be proud, too. I could say that's my boyfriend up there, the man I love up there. But that's selfish. This is going to be your day._

Terry remained silent for a few minutes, mulling over what Simon said. "I'll agree to be a back-up speaker, in case one of the readers gets sick or something, okay?" 

Simon nodded and reached out to take Terry's hand, not caring who saw as they exited the school building. _Terry doesn't want to draw any more attention to us, but he deserves to give a speech. _He broke the handhold as they approached the car. Terry still rode his bike, mostly to work, but he had switched to driving his car to school while Simon was still healing. Granted, he was mostly healed now, but it still hurt from time to time when he stretched certain ways that Terry wouldn't let him onto a motorcycle. 

Terry unlocked the doors and climbed into the driver's seat. "Hey, it's okay if we stop by my house, right? I need to check on the mail." 

"Sure." Simon buckled his seat belt and rested back in the seat. Neither teen spoke as Terry pulled out of the student parking lot, just giving each other silent support. In the past, Simon would've worried about silence, but after being hurt as he had, a small amount of physical contact, even when nothing was being said, was enough for him. Case and point, Terry reached over and squeezed Simon's knee. _I love you too, Terry. And I'm not going anywhere._

~*()*~ 

"You mean Jordon's not coming to his graduation? Why?" 

Lucy shrugged at her mother and continued searching for the leftover teriyaki chicken Terry had prepared last night. "The school year is structured differently than here, and he can't leave. But he did promise to visit Terry during his summer break." 

"Poor Terry." Annie set the last dish in the dishwasher and checked on the brownies she had in the oven. "So he's not going to have anyone at his graduation?" 

"Well, Simon and I--ah, here it is--are going to attend and take him to dinner afterwards." Lucy pulled out the foil covered meat and set it on the counter. "Did he tell you the recipe for this?" 

"Yes. And why hasn't Terry asked us to come?" Annie grabbed a clean plate and handed to it Lucy. 

"I think he didn't want to bother the family about it, since you've attended three already, and have three more to go, four if you think the twins will want separate parties, or go to different schools." Lucy placed a breast on the plate and put the dish in the microwave. 

"I'm sure it'd be no trouble to attend, and no one should be without their family during graduation. And he is like family." 

Lucy started heating the meat and watched her mother. "Really?" 

"Really what?" 

"He's really like family?" 

Annie shifted a bit, feeling slightly uncomfortable at the stare her daughter was giving her. "Well, yes. It doesn't seem like Simon's going to fall in love with anyone else, and what he's done in this past month, not to mention the last two years...he's family." 

Lucy continued watching her mother until the microwave beeped, then she shifted her attention to her late lunch. "Alright. I'm sure Terry would love to have you at graduation, as long as you don't make a big deal over it." She grabbed a knife and fork and took a seat at the table. "And Simon and I can shift the party to here instead, no problem." 

Annie blinked as Lucy cut into her meal and started eating. "What...was that about?" 

"Huh?" 

"That look. What was that about?" 

Lucy swallowed the piece of food she had in her mouth. "Oh, that. Well, we, that is, everyone, sort of picked up on some, er, tension between you and Terry. I just...wanted to make sure everything was okay." 

Annie scratched her head. _Sure, I was a little jealous of Terry because Simon kept turning to him, but...I didn't think I let it show that much._ As Lucy just pointed out, though, she had failed, and the entire house knew it. _Well, he is taking my baby away. Of course I feel a little...possessive, a little jealous. But I didn't mean to...upset everyone. _Sighing, she moved to the washer to start the next load. _I'll try and make it up to him by giving him a great graduation party. And...I won't be jealous of him any more. I promise._

She just hoped she could keep it. 

~*()*~ 

Simon glanced at the three packages on Terry's porch with raised eyebrows. One was obviously from Amazon.com, but the other two were hand written, and looked like they were gifts. He picked the boxes up as Terry grabbed the other mail and opened the front door. "Where should I put these?" 

"With the others by the coffee table," Terry answered absently, sorting through the envelopes from his box. 

_Others?_ Simon easily spotted the pile of about a half dozen gifts resting in front of the coffee table. There were one or two oddly shaped packages, but the rest were obviously gifts of some sort or another. _Who're all these from? And for what? His birthday's two months off._ Setting the boxes down, he looked at some of the return addresses. None were from Japan, which ruled out both Amber and Jordon. _They're coming later this year, I think, anyway._ One was from Africa, and another from France. _His aunt and mom. _The others, however, were from various cities around the United States. 

"Alright, nothing urgent. You ready to go?" Terry glanced over at Simon and raised an eyebrow at the curious, and slightly jealous look on the blond's face. "Would you like to know what they are?" 

Simon's head snapped towards Terry, and a blush crept across his face as he realized Terry read his feelings so easily. "Well, um...kinda. I...didn't miss a birthday or something, did I?" 

"No, you didn't." Terry walked over and sat on the edge of a couch, picking up one of the packages. "They're actually graduation gifts. Most of them from friends." 

"But you don't get this many on your birthday, or Christmas." Simon took a seat next to the auburn haired teen. "Why so many now?" 

"It's a rite of passage, I guess. Leaving high school, that is." Setting the gift down, Terry sighed. "Besides, I sent them gifts for their graduations. And with our history..." He got a slightly nostalgic look, seeing past the packages to memories. 

Simon watched Terry a few minutes, before making the connection. _History...these...these are from more than friends._ "Your ex-boyfriends?" 

Terry blinked and turned towards Simon. "Huh? Yeah. We still keep in touch from time to time. Actually, most of these are from the ex's I helped to come out, either to themselves, or to their families." He ran a hand through his hair. 

_So he keeps in touch with his ex's. I guess I'm not really that worried. I mean, they all live across the country. Most of mine I share classes with, and Terry was never suspicious once._ Granted, Simon's ex's were all women, whereas Terry's appeared to be men. "So...you keep in touch?" 

"Yeah, every now and then." Terry put an arm around Simon's shoulders. "You don't have to worry. They know I'm spoken for." He leaned against his boyfriend a bit. "And most of them have their own boyfriends. Well, except this one." Terry tapped one gift. "He decided he was straight after all." 

Simon smiled a bit, but still felt a bit thrown off by the news. Sure, he kept in touch with his ex's, but they never exchanged anything more than homework. _Then again, Terry's helped them understand themselves, like he did for me. I guess that would make him stand out in their minds._ "Are you," he hesitated, not really wanting to bring this subject up, "are you going to a college near any of them?" 

Terry remained silent, his eyes roaming over the books in a bookcase on the far wall, before he sat up and kissed Simon, stroking the blond's cheek. "We should get going. You have finals tomorrow." He stood up and headed for the door, looking back when Simon didn't immediately follow him. 

_So...he doesn't want to distract me, or upset me yet. Maybe he's waiting until after graduation to tell me._ Sighing, Simon stood and followed, turning off the light as he exited the house. "Right. Finals." 

Terry tossed the keys of the car in the air once before ambling over and unlocking the doors, climbing in without another word. On any subject. 

~*()*~ 

Lucy sat at the apartment table and looked around her current living conditions. She and Kevin hadn't lived there long, but already she was ready to leave. They hadn't been married long, but it felt...awkward living over the garage. _I'm married, studying to be a preacher, and I still live with my parents._ It had always bugged her a little, but never to the point it was today. And why was today any different? Because Terry was graduating soon. 

_Terry's graduating from high school, and not only is he ready to be living on his own, has been living on his own, he's practically been living without parents for over a year. I mean, Jordon certainly didn't really count as an authority figure._ She shook her head. _My brother's boyfriend is more mature than I am. Even Simon is, he's ready to move out of the house and try living on his own._

It was a really depressing thought. _Did I really see myself living off my parents when I was this old, like Matt did? Did I see myself living like this when I got married?_ She bit her lip. _We should be out of this house, on our own, at our own place. Maybe not a house, but an apartment outside of my parents' immediate field of influence. Someplace nearby, though, so I can still help Simon, Ruthie, and the twins. Especially the twins. _She ran a hand through her hair. _It's time for us to leave. Kevin enjoys being a role model for the twins, but he's showing signs of frustrations staying here._

She stood up and moved to her bed, laying down on it on her back. _So the big question is what to do about it. Move, obviously, but where? I'm pretty sure I don't want to worry about a mortgage yet, but finding apartments, especially decent ones, are nearly impossible. _She sighed through her nose. _I wonder if Terry would rent out his house while he's away at college._

"Hi honey, hard day?" 

Lucy smiled a bit at Kevin and sat up on her elbows. "Not really. Just thinking." 

Kevin tossed his coat on a chair and sat by his wife. "About what?" 

Lucy pushed herself up and leaned against the headboard. "Do you think that, over the summer, we could move?" 

Kevin leaned back and raised his eyebrows. "Are you unhappy living in Glen Oak?" 

"No, no. I just...I don't want to live off my parents anymore." She rested her hands on one of Kevin's. "It's not that I want to buy a house, but I would like a bigger apartment, one that's not so close to my parents so that we can be on our own." 

"What brought this on?" Kevin moved his other hand to rest on top of Lucy's hands. 

"Just...things changing. I just think it's time we move on. This was a great temporary place, but do you really see us staying here, having kids here, growing old here?" 

Kevin remained silent a moment, lost in thought. He shook his head slowly. "It won't be easy to find a place in Glen Oak. This place, while a bit small, is a good deal. It'll be hard to top it." 

"I know, but it's time." Lucy moved to the edge of the bed and pulled her hands back, folding them together. "So let's look quietly for a while. We can tell everyone when we're sure we have a place to go. So that they won't dwell on it." 

"Alright." Kevin leaned over and kissed her forehead. "If this is what you want, we can do it." He looked her in the eyes. "This is what you want, right? It isn't some whim?" 

"It's not a whim. I know this is what I want. I...we have to do this." 

Kevin nodded and stood up, stretching. "Okay, then. The Kinkirks are moving out." 

Lucy smiled and looked around the apartment once more. _Let's just hope the family can adjust to the idea as quickly as Kevin can._

~*()*~ 

Simon sighed as he looked over the bookcase before him. His final today had gone off without a hitch, and he decided to get a start on the AP Literature reading list by buying 'Frankenstein.' 'Invisible Man' was the other novel he could read, but as he had already read it the previous year (by coincidence, only), he decided to try the new book. He also wanted to buy a book for Terry, nothing fancy, just something fun. 

Simon smiled slightly. If he got the right type of book, Terry would sit for hours reading, and Simon could snuggle next to him, reading his own book, or even napping. It had happened a couple times over the last month, and he had to admit, it was rather cozy. _Might as well get close to him while I can._

His smile faded slightly. His question to Terry from yesterday was still unanswered, and he had a feeling it would remain that way until Terry wished him to know. _Does he even know what to say to me? Maybe he hasn't said anything because...he doesn't know what to say. He doesn't want to hurt me, so maybe he's just...working on the phrasing._ It was one of the many reasons he could think of for Terry remaining silent. 

_Maybe I'm dwelling on this too much. _He rolled his eyes. _Maybe. Right. I'm obsessing over it. I've got to stop. I'm not going to be able to enjoy my remaining time with Terry if I don't._ He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind. 

Two arms pulled Simon into a hug, and someone nuzzled his neck from behind. Simon tensed slightly, but he smiled and relaxed into the hold. He knew Terry's scent, the feel of his arms. He rested his own hands on Terry's and opened his eyes, taking in Terry's grin. "Hey you. How'd you find me? I thought you were going home after work." 

"We were doing an in-store shoot next door and I saw you go into this bookstore. We finished one part, so I thought I'd surprise you." He kissed Simon's cheek. "Surprised?" 

"Yeah. Thanks." Simon pulled away, turning around and capturing Terry's hands with his own, looking the model over. He was dressed more formally than usual, with black jeans and a button down shirt, a dull evergreen in color, with the top two buttons undone, exposing just a bit of his chest. He was wearing a gentleman's leather jacket, and a winning smile. All together, it made Simon's heart jump. _Gorgeous, and he's mine._ He pulled Terry forward into another hug, planting his lips on his boyfriend's almost possessively. 

They remained that way for nearly five minutes, Terry finally breaking the contact so he could get air to his lungs. Breathing a bit heavily, he simply grinned at Simon. "And to what do I owe that sudden burst of affection to?" 

"Just how handsome you look, and because I love you." Simon was just as breathless, but glowing as much as Terry. "And we haven't done something like that in, oh, it must be a week by now." 

Terry chuckled and wrapped an arm around Simon's shoulders. "So, what're we looking for?" 

"Just some AP Lit books, nothing that can't wait." 

Terry shrugged slightly and started scanning the bookshelves himself, though he didn't know what title Simon was looking for. "Speaking of English." 

"Ugh." Simon wrinkled his nose. "Must we?" 

"How'd your final go?" 

"Pretty good." Finally spotting the title and author he was looking for, he pulled out a book and glanced at its back. "The essay portion was tricky, but nothing too bad. How was the Senior Brunch?" 

"Don't get me started." Terry pulled his arm off his partner and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "It was a sports awards meeting, with mediocre food. I'm so glad I had to leave early for this shoot. Which," he glanced at his watched, "I have to get back to. Our break will be up in a few minutes. See you in a couple hours? I'll rent a movie on the way home for us tonight." 

"Don't you have graduation tomorrow?" 

"And you have your last final, yep. But neither one requires intense studying, right?" 

Simon mentally reviewed the test he had to take. He nodded. "Alright, sure. A comedy?" 

"Your wish is my command. See you!" Waving, Terry headed out of the aisle and towards the front of the store. 

Simon watched him a few minutes before moving to another aisle to try and find Terry a book. _That was a welcome surprise. I wonder if he'll do that after he goes away. Just show up...and surprise me._ He smiled. Maybe Terry leaving wouldn't be that bad, not if he showed up looking that good, and that eager to kiss. _Something to think about._

~*()*~ 

Eric Camden was used to having sudden changes in plans. These changes could be instantaneous, happening immediately, or planned changes, ranging from a few days to a few weeks. It took a while to get used to, but he eventually did. So, when he wife told him they were going to attend Terry's graduation and throw him a party afterwards, he wasn't surprised, or going to protest. 

Actually, he was going to propose the same idea to Annie, as he felt Terry deserved a little more than just his boyfriend and friend showing up when he got handed that diploma. He also heard, through the household grapevine known as Ruthie, that it was possible Terry was going to be one of the graduation speakers. Other than Matt, no one in the family, or close to it, had given a speech, and he felt that he should at least record it for Jordon's sake. 

"I won't be able to go. You have to take over the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and don't forget, Terry's party." 

So this was simply yet another change in his life. One phone call and Annie was packing her bags for what appeared to be a week-long getaway. Her mood, however, was anything but happy. Which meant one of two things: something had happened to Ginger, or, and this was more likely, her father's Alzheimer's had reached its final stages. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you, or any of us?" 

"No, no. Ginger said," Annie stopped her packing and leaned against her suitcase. She seemed shaken, which worried Eric. "Ginger said he's starting to forget people, lashing out at friends he just saw a week ago." She continued putting clothes into the bag. 

"Alright. But call if you need anything. Do you...know how long?" 

Annie shook her head. "It could be anywhere from a few months to a-" she choked on the word momentarily. "To a few days." 

Eric nodded and handed her the carryon bag. "Okay. Just remember, we're here." 

"I know, it's just...something I need to do alone for now." She stopped moving around the room and looked at Eric. "Don't tell the kids, not until after Terry's graduation. I...don't want to ruin it for him, for any of them. Alright?" 

"If that's what you want." Eric didn't really agree, but he knew arguing the point would be moot. "Do you need a ride to the airport?" 

"I've already called a taxi." Zipping up her bags, she grabbed them and headed out the door. A minute later she came back and hugged Eric. "Love you." 

"Love you, too." Eric watched his wife leave once more before sitting on the bed and staring out the window. Charles had always been...and interesting father-in-law. A great one, compared to the Colonel, but interesting. Almost nothing shook him. He wasn't even surprised when Simon admitted he was gay, which was a feat even Eric failed to do. 

It wouldn't be hard to hide the truth from everyone for a day. Terry and Simon were in the family room watching some movie. Lucy had floated in and joined them, waiting for Kevin to get home. Ruthie was upstairs with Peter, working on some joint book report, and the twins... 

"Daddy, where's mommy going?" 

"Yeah, where's mommy going?" 

The twins were right at his feet. Looking at them, he smiled slightly and picked them up into a hug. "Mommy has to go see Grandpa for a while, but we'll be fine here." He set them down and stood up. "Come on, let's go make dinner." 

"Pizza." 

"Yeah, pizza!" 

Eric glanced at Sam, then David. "Close. Why don't we swing by KFC tonight. They say it's good for daddy's heart." The twins glanced at each other, but nodded silently and Eric grabbed his keys and wallet. "Great. Let's go get dinner." _And think up a better lie than 'mommy needs to see Grandpa' for those people who have cognitive thinking skills._

~*()*~ 

It was nearly one before Simon got home from his last final, and he immediately sought out his boyfriend, worried he had missed the teen leaving for graduation already. Setting his bag down in his room, he headed to the end of the hall and quietly knocked on the door. Not hearing anything, he slipped the door open. It wasn't uncommon for Terry to not hear someone knock, mainly because he often wore headphones to listen to music, and turned it up really loud. 

Terry wasn't listening to music, though. He was lying on the bed on his back, taking a simple afternoon nap. He had thrown on some jogging shorts and a tank top, and part of his skin was already slightly tanned thanks to the sunlight that was washing over him through the window. One arm was thrown over his eyes, but otherwise he had a completely relaxed pose. 

Simon watched Terry's chest rise and fall a few minutes before he shut the door and slipped his shoes off. _An afternoon siesta wouldn't be too bad, especially if Terry and I go out after the family party._ Walking softly to the bed, he silently crawled onto the mattress and worked his way so that he was snuggled next to Terry. He managed to work one arm around Terry's waist before getting comfortable and going still. A second later, though, Terry's arm moved and wrapped around Simon. The blond smiled sheepishly as he met Terry's sleepy eyes. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." 

Terry let out a yawn and closed his eyes again. "S'okay. It was a light sleep." He rolled over slightly and rested his head against the blond's shoulder. "S'nice." 

Simon nodded and let out his own yawn. "So, how was rehearsal?" 

"Boring, and redundant." Simon felt Terry let out a breath through his nose. "It's not exactly rocket science, what we have to do." He waited a beat. "I'm giving a speech. One of the speakers is missing a credit and can't graduate." 

Simon grinned. "I'm sure you'll give a great speech." 

"It's not about how great it is, Simon." 

"I know. But still, I'm sure it'll be great." 

Terry lapsed into silence, and Simon felt the model's breathing even out. Hesitating a moment, he reached over and stroked Terry's hair, eliciting a soft hum of approval from the teen. _You're graduating, and tomorrow...you're moving back home. Then...who knows where you'll go from there. You probably won't keep the house, so I won't even have that to go to when I feel lonely._

"Go t'sleep, Simon. I'll wake you before I go." 

Simon closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Terry's chin. _The problem is...I don't want you to go. Ever._ Still, he yawned once more and fell into the same light sleep as the man beside him. 

~*()*~ 

Terry waved back at the group of girls waving at him. He was not looking forward to this graduation. Before, when he was just going up to get his diploma, he didn't mind, but now he had to give a speech, be the center of attention. _I've been that too much lately, and so has Simon. _He also felt sort of wrong giving this speech. He was chosen because of his good grades and high GPA, not because he wanted to give a speech or because he won a lottery or was chosen from a group of speakers. 

_But I promised Simon I would._ And he wasn't going to break a promise, especially not to him. And if it meant being resented by some people, well, after today he probably wouldn't see any of them. _And if I do, well, they know not to mess with me, or Simon._ He never told Simon, but he had been hassled by homophobic students as well. While he had his own circle of defense in the form of friends, there were a few times when he had had to deal with the insults alone. 

They weren't very hurtful, or even creative compared to some of the things he'd been called, but they were a painful reminder of what happened to Simon, and what could still happen, to either of them. _No matter what, they'll always be those who want to hurt us, to get rid of us._ He shook the thought off and moved over to a small group of students, most of which had been in his art class. 

That had been an experience. He had never taken a school art class before, and he found it was rather fun. Granted, his collage of Evangelion images, centered around Lilith and the Sephiroth, had raised some questioning eyebrows. But his final piece, a drawing he had entitled 'Black Velvet,' had earned him back some of the respect he felt he lost when he came out. 

_Simon's going to love it._ 'Black Velvet' was currently at a framer's, and Terry planned to give it to Simon as a gift. When, he wasn't sure, but it was a portrait of his boyfriend, so it was only right he inherit it as a gift. 

"Alright people, settle down. We're going to march into the gym, just like we practiced. Speakers, be sure you're last." 

Terry rolled his eyes at the Principle, but did as he was instructed. _Like I said, not rocket science._ Though watching some of the seniors try to walk in an orderly line made him wonder. _Geeze, and here you thought Jordon's opinions had no influence on you._ Somewhere in his head he could swear he heard his brother's voice laughing. 

Walking past the audience, it was easy to spot the Camden family, minus Annie and Kevin. The former because of a trip to see her dad, and the latter because he was at work. Eric had a video camera, which Terry mentally kicked himself for. _Shoulda hid that. I do not want to be caught on video._ Simon, though, he and Lucy were smiling and sitting proudly. His boyfriend waved, and Terry winked back, not wanting to slow the line up by pausing to wave. 

Being one of the speakers, he didn't sit with the other students, but on the stage with the other speakers and the administrative staff. _I just wanted to be one of them, the ones in the crowd, one in hundreds. And now I'm giving a speech. _He glanced at his hands. He had memorized the speech that the Vice Principal had approved for him to read, but it felt...hollow. _I didn't really put any effort into that speech. I just wrote what I thought he'd like._ He furrowed his brow as the Principal stood and began giving his speech. His mind began pulling ideas, some from his prepared speech, others from events that had happened over the years, and began forming a new speech. He was the last to speak before the diplomas, so he had plenty of time. 

After a while an arm nudged him and he glanced at the teacher sitting next to him. She nodded to the podium, and he realized it was his turn to speak. He waited until the previous speaker introduced him before standing and walking over to the wooden platform. Simon was still sitting proud, grinning at him. He saw Lucy whisper something to him, causing the blond the blush and push her. _Wonder what that's about._ Eric was giving him the thumbs up as well, still holding the camera. A few minutes later, the applause quieted down. _Here goes nothing._

"Well, I had a speech prepared, but when I thought about it, it really didn't...feel right for this moment. It was dry, artificial, and to be honest, I didn't truly believe what I had written. So, I've decided to try a different approach: I'm going to be honest with you. And the most honest I can be is by telling you this, I didn't want to be here. When I was first approached to give a speech, I turned them down. I didn't want to be in the spotlight again. 

He could feel the administration's disapproving stares on the back of his neck, and ignored them. "Most of you know what I mean. This year has been filled with many events, some great, such as the Fashion Show, the art gallery; but some of it has been pretty difficult. Me and my boyfriend coming out was probably one of the biggest shocks to this school. It was difficult for you, and for us, and once things got back to normal I had hoped we wouldn't be thrust into the spotlight again. 

"I was wrong, though." He saw Simon duck his head. "Most of you were at the prom, where my boyfriend was attacked. We were once again thrust into the spotlight, and neither of us wanted it. I especially didn't want it, because I knew it would be a difficult recovery, for both of us. And, eventually, the spotlight was turned away, we healed, and everything's back to normal once more. 

"So what exactly is the point of my speech? I'm talking about spotlights and attacks and events, so what am I getting at?" He shrugged. "I guess that high school reinforced a fact I had known long before I entered the public school system: there are ups and downs to being yourself. Some of what I did was great for this school. There had never been Fashion Show before, and I know all that participated had the time of their lives. I was myself then, and it was a wonderful event I'll never forget. I also opened my heart and my life to the public, and suffered a painful consequence. It's an event I'll never forget, either, but for different reasons. 

"Basically, I'm trying to say that no matter what life throws at you, no matter what you fear society will think, stay your course. Do what you need to, what you want to, to be happy. For every negative consequence we endure for our happiness," he made eye contact with Simon and smiled slightly, "the positive consequences are returned tenfold. These last two years have been trying, but I also know that everything has been worth it, and I will never regret being myself, being happy. 

"So when you leave for college and become more independent, remember who you are, don't lose yourself, or your happiness. Fight for what you believe in, and never give up hope." He took a deep breath. "In conclusion, I'd like to quote from the immortal words of Shinji Ikari: Thank you, my father. Goodbye, my mother. And to all the children...Congratulations." 

He bowed slightly at the applause, even though he caught a few confused looks at his final words. _It's complicated, but it's true._ He backed away and returned to his seat, simply shrugging at the accusing look the Vice Principal was giving him. He didn't care. He had spoken his mind, his true thoughts, and as long as he touched at least one person, he was happy. He shifted his attention to the Principal as he began calling names and handing out diplomas, mentally going over what he had planned for tonight. 

~*()*~ 

"Here's to you, Terry. Congratulations on making it through four, er, two years of high school." Terry laughed at Eric's toast and raised his glass of sparkling cider. Eric knew of Terry's Japanese customs, but with the twins and Ruthie attending this little party, he didn't want alcohol around. If Terry minded, he didn't say anything. _I'm sure it's not a big deal._

Terry finished sipping his drink and set his glass down. "You guys really didn't have to do this. I just finished high school. It's not a big deal." 

"It is a big deal. Consider how many people drop out." 

Terry raised an eyebrow at Kevin. "Kevin, I was home schooled with a Japanese educational mindset. You don't 'drop out,' in Japan. You commit suicide, but you don't drop out." 

It was Kevin's turn to raise an eyebrow. 

Simon simply shook his head and took another drink of his cider. "So are you going to open your gifts?" 

"Gifts? What gifts?" Lucy looked around. "Simon, did you get something without telling me?" 

"I think he means the gifts that I got in the mail from my ex-boyfriends. And yes, Simon, I'm opening them tomorrow. You want to come over and help?" 

"I'd love to." 

"Can I come too?" 

Terry shrugged at Ruthie. "Fine by me, but check with your father." 

Eric put up his hands. "Hey, whatever you can do to help keep her busy, I'll be okay with. Any chance you can take the twins, too?" 

"I doubt it. I'm willing to bet there'll be some fragile stuff." 

"We'll watch the twins, dad. It'll give Kevin and I some practice for when we have our own." 

Kevin choked on his food, causing everyone to laugh at his surprised face. 

"So Terry," Ruthie pushed some of her cake around, "what are you going to do now?" 

Simon looked expectantly at Terry, and Eric watched his son's interaction with his boyfriend. He hadn't heard anything about Terry's plans post graduation, and from the look on Simon's face, neither had he. _He must not've wanted to upset Simon, but now...it's over. He has to spill._

"Oh, you know, a little of this, a little of that." Terry avoided Simon's gaze, avoided everyone's actually, by serving the twins another helping of cake. "The modeling company's hired me to interview some potential models later this month. And of course, I'm moving back home tomorrow." 

Eric furrowed his brow, recognizing the stalling tactic. _He's hiding something, but what?_ He opened his mouth to ask Terry about what college he was attending, when the phone rang. As he was the closest, he got up and caught it on the second ring. He heard a few noises from the dinning room as he talked to Lou, and realized the party had broken up, or at least migrated. _Terry's going to have to tell us his college plans at some point._ He just hoped that whatever they were, it wouldn't hurt Simon too much. 

~*()*~ 

"Terry?" Simon stepped out onto the back porch and rubbed his arm, spotting his boyfriend sitting at the picnic table. Closing the back door, he walked over and stuck his hands in his jeans, looking up at the moon. "Are...you okay? I went up to the bathroom and when I got back, you were gone." 

"I just needed some air. It's kind of overwhelming when you realize that you're finished with it, that you don't have to attend anymore." 

Simon sat next to Terry and rubbed his back. "I'll bet." He frowned slightly, sensing Terry was apprehensive about something. "Terry, what's on your mind?" 

Terry chuckled. "Something big. I'm just wondering if it's the right thing, and since it is, trying to gather the courage to bring it out." Terry looked to the ground and rubbed his hands together. 

Simon blinked, unsure of what Terry was talking about. _Unless...his college plans. He's afraid to tell me._ "I...you know I love you, Terry, and you can tell me anything." He wrapped his arms around Terry and pulled the model into a hug. 

Terry leaned against Simon for a few minutes before pulling away and turning around to face the blond. He took a deep breath and looked into Simon's gray eyes, capturing them with his own brown ones. "Simon, What I'm about to say is...kind of difficult because it means a big change for me, for us." 

Simon sat back and put his hands in his lap. _Yeah. He's going to tell me where he's going to college._ He sighed quietly. _I won't cry, no matter how far away he's going. I'll make it work, we'll make it work._ "What is it?" 

"Simon, we've been going out for about a year and a half, and I'd be lying if I said they were perfect. But despite all the difficulties, despite the problems, we're still together. You're...special to me. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone before. And...and I never want to lose it. Not to distance, not to family, not to anything. 

"I love you, and I'm willing to do anything to make sure our love survives." Digging into his khakis, he pulled out a small object and held it out to Simon. "So will you, Simon Camden, do me the honor of promising to be with me? To enter into a completely monogamous relationship with a symbol of our love that others can recognize?" 

This wasn't what Simon was expecting. _Don't cry. Just...don't cry._ Swallowing, Simon carefully took the silver band in Terry's palm and turned it over in his fingers. It was a simple ring, no gems, no inscriptions, just a nice silver ring that, he noticed, had a twin resting on Terry's right hand. _A symbol of our relationship, a promise to be his even though he'll be far away._ Sniffing slightly, he slipped the ring onto his finger. "Terry...of course. You didn't have to do this, though. It's too-" 

Terry cut Simon off by kissing him, pulling the younger man closer. He didn't keep them together for long, though, and pulled away when he felt Simon wouldn't speak. "There's more, Simon." He ran a hand through Simon's blond locks. "I've decided to postpone college, until we can attend together." He smiled softly. "I'm not leaving, Simon. Not without you. That's my promise, my gift, to you." 

Simon stared at Terry, diving into the depths of Terry's golden eyes. _I...I can't stand it any more._ Tears slipped down his cheeks, and he pulled Terry into another hug, initiating another, far more passionate kiss with his boyfriend. _God, I love you. No one...no one's ever done this for me, never made this sacrifice for me, ever._ He tightened his hold around Terry. _I'm never letting you go. We'll be together, forever. _

__When Terry needed to breathe, he pulled away, panting slightly as he licked his lips. "I take it, then, that you agree? You want me to stay?" 

"Yes. More than anything." Simon released Terry from the embrace and punched him on the arm lightly. "I am angry with you, though." 

"You are? Why?" 

"You didn't tell me! All this time I've been worrying, and you, you just-" 

Terry chuckled and rested his forehead against Simon's. "I was pretty sure I was staying, but I wasn't sure if you wanted me to." 

"I want it, no, I want you more than I want anything. You should've told me." 

"I wanted it to be a surprise." 

Simon closed his eyes. "It was. A very nice surprise." He opened them again. "But if you ever pull something like this again, I'll have to hurt you." 

This time Terry laughed and hugged Simon again. "Agreed." He kissed Simon briefly. "I love you, Simon Camden. And nothing is going to break us up." 

"I hope not, and I love you, too, Terry Jordon." With that, Simon made himself comfortable against his boyfriend and looked up at the stars. He felt Terry relax behind him. _Thank you, Lord, for not taking him away from me. Thank you a million times over. _

Terry squeezed Simon's hand, the one with the ring, and the two sat in companionable silence, watching the night sky. 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

~*()*~ 

Author's Prattle: My, that was just filled with mushy sappiness, wasn't it. Sorry it took so long, but with Thanksgiving and finals, it just took forever to get everything done. And Terry's speech...oi. That took a while to come to me. Yes, a bit corny, oozing sappiness, but with all the angst and such from the last chapters, I felt it was time for a nice loving chapter. Besides, the next chapter will have angst again. 

As you've noticed, in addition to the graduation, I've begun a few subplots. These'll play out over the next few chapters, evolving into its own story line, completely separate from the TV story line (as if it's not already). Speaking of the graduation, the last words to Terry's speech was actually my Senior Quote (well, the main one; I had nearly fifty). I think it's a lovely way to end a major event, be it high school, college, etc. 

As for those of you who think Terry postponing college is wrong...that's actually going to be explained in the next chapter (it's been half done for...about a year, now). And the ring, that's normal. Well, symbols of love are, anyway. And they have been going steady for over a year...it felt like a good time. Doesn't mean it'll be a smooth relationship, though. Again, next chapter. 

Disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven, it's characters, or settings. They belong to Aaron Spelling and Brenda Hampton. Nor do I own Neon Genesis Evangelion (the Shinji Ikari quote). That wonderful series belongs to GIANAX. I don't own Mary Shelly's Frankenstein or Kentucky Fried Chicken, either. I think that's about all of them this chapter. 

So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, reviews are welcome. Until next time! Happy Holidays! 


	31. Breaking Up is Hard to Do

****

God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

__

By Cypher

Chapter Thirty-one: Breaking Up is Hard to Do

__

"I love you, and I'm willing to do anything to make sure our love survives. So will you, Simon Camden, do me the honor of promising to be with me? To enter into a completely monogamous relationship with a symbol of our love that others can recognize?" 

"Simon! Earth to Simon! Come in Simon!"

"Huh? What?" Simon shook his head and spotted Lucy giving him an amusing look. "What?"

"You're spacing out again. And with that grin, I can guess what you were thinking." 

"Hey, you still stare at your ring, and it was a special moment." Simon shrugged and crossed his arms. "Besides, it's summer. I can space out all I want."

"Uh huh." Lucy kept smirking and dug through the refrigerator. "How come you're making a picnic instead of grabbing some food on the way?"

"I'm saving up. I…want to get him something special for our two year anniversary." He felt his cheeks go a bit red at the admittance, but he wasn't nearly as embarrassed as he used to be. _Two years since we've been together. Sometimes it seems like less._

"That's sweet of you." Pulling out the mustard, she placed it in the basket, squeezing it between some potato salad and a sandwich she couldn't identify. "I'm sure he'll love whatever you get."

Simon nodded and made sure he had packed some juice. Terry was on a citrus kick this week, mainly because he hadn't been drinking much orange juice since he had moved in with the Camdens. _Must be low on, what did they call it in biology, fructose? I think that's it. _

"Is he all settled back home?"

"Yeah, though he has no idea where to put the new statue he got as a Grad gift." It was a miniature Roman sculpture, from an ex-boyfriend currently attending The Academy of Art. Other than that, though, Terry had comfortably moved back into his home with little fuss, though he did say it seemed just as lonely as it did before. _He still misses Jordon, or at least another presence in the house._ He made a mental note to ask his dad if he could stay at Terry's for more than a weekend.

"Well, I think you're set." Lucy closed the basket and patted Simon's back. "Good luck and have fun."

"We will. Next time you and Kevin should come with us."

"If he's not on duty, sure. It's a date."

Picking up the basket, he made a quick exit and got in his car. He was going to pick up Terry at his house. _The house he gave me the key to._ Terry felt that, with Simon's new position in his life, it was the least he could do. _Lord knows Terry could walk into my house unannounced easily. _Shifting his car into gear, he pulled out of the driveway and drove off.

~*()*~

"I can't believe you talked me into trying Cat's Cradle before my date. I haven't even got my shirt on, you know."

"Terry-"

Terry ignored his brother and manipulated the string in his hands. "Okay, I'm in second position, what do I do from here?"

Jordon sighed on the other end of the line. "Weave your fingers into third and first, and flip outward."

It was vague, but Terry knew his brother, and what he meant. It took him a minute, and as he finished, he looked over the new shape between his fingers. "This game is harder than it looks. Now-"

"Terry! Can we get back to the real reason I called?"

The teen simply rolled his eyes and continued fiddling with the material he was holding. "I'm not changing my mind, aniki. I'm staying out for a year, and I'm going wherever Simon goes."

"You're making a huge mistake. No offence to your lover, but do you really expect him to get into a decent school, a school of your caliber?"

"Need I remind you that his brother is going to Columbia?"

"As a graduate. Ototou, you're being offered great places as an undergrad! You can't pass them all up! Yale, Stanford-"

"You know my feelings on Stanford, and Tokyo U. I don't want to go where there's family history." Tossing the string aside, Terry stepped away from the phone and looked through his closet for an appropriate picnic shirt. 

"Fine. Then what about Harvard? Or UCLA? Hell, even the University of Kyoto! And as I recall, you said something about getting a call from Oxford in England."

"That was simply a reference for a friend, though they made me an offer to apply. I declined." He pulled out a red tank-top and put it on. It was a fairly warm day, so he figured he wouldn't need much more than that. 

"And you shouldn't have! You can't give up these great colleges for something like…like…like Crawford!"

He sighed and took a seat on his bed again. "I want to go where Simon goes, be it Crawford, be it Princeton."

"You're throwing your life away by doing it! I can't let you do that, ototou."

"I'm eighteen. What're you going to do? Scold me? Beat me up? You lost the last time we fought."

Jordon scoffed over the phone. "Only because I was distracted. And I'll find something to do. Now listen, I know a guy on the UCLA admissions board. I can make a call, pull a few strings, and get you enrolled in the fall semester."

"The answer is no, aniki, and it's final." Glancing at the clock, Terry stood again and grabbed his wallet. "I'm going now. And I don't want any more calls regarding this. The subject is closed."

"Like hell I'm going to sit by and let you-"

"Sayonara, aniki." Terry turned off the phone and stuck his wallet in his back pocket. He searched for his watch, then remembered he left it out in the living room. As he left the hall he nearly jumped when he spotted Simon sitting on the armrest of the couch by the door. "Simon! Great, sorry about that. I had a call from…you okay?" His smile dimmed as he saw the upset, even hurt face of his boyfriend. "Simon, are you okay?"

Simon stuck a hand in his pocket and rubbed his head. "I, um, I actually just came over to tell you that…something came up. We…can't go out today."

Terry blinked and crossed his arms. "Is everything alright? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No. I just…I'll call you later." That said, the blond turned and walked off.

Terry watched him go, and heard a car drive off a minute later. _Something's bothering him, but what? _He went to the coffee table and got his watch, glancing at his ring as he put it on. _I'll call Lucy later. She probably knows what it's about. _

~*()*~

Simon sat at the park, watching not the people around him, or the summer games going on, but the sky. His arms were out to the side, and his light blue shirt was open, revealing his white, low-cut tank-top. He had worn it for Terry, to show off his form while they enjoyed their picnic. A picnic that was, at the moment, going bad in his car. 

_He must've not heard me come in. Otherwise he wouldn't have kept talking on speakerphone._ Granted, when Simon had arrived, he hadn't really announced himself. He was hoping to surprise Terry with a hug from behind, like the model had done to him on numerous occasions. When he reached the hallway, though, he could hear Terry talking, and Jordon's voice, though on a phone, carried pretty well.

And he had just stood there, listening to them bicker. Terry had been so adamant, just saying he would stay and go wherever Simon did, and Jordon…Jordon belittling the decision on the grounds that it would ruin his life. _And would it, staying with me instead of going to college? _His mind quickly returned to the month Jordon had kept him from seeing Terry because of AP testing. _He's been preparing to go to college for so long, and now he's…giving up everything for me. _

When Terry had said goodbye, he had moved to the living room, a whole new host of thoughts in his head. Before, when Terry had given him the ring and revealed that he was staying, it'd seemed romantic, loving. _Now, though….I can't let him do this. Not for me. I…we can make a long-distance relationship work. And…and UCLA's not that far from here. A few hours by car. _He glanced down his arm to his hand. _But he'd never leave me, not after the attack, not after all the fears and worries he's heard from me._

_That means there's only one way I can push him into this._ He folded his arms in and held his hands over his head, staring as the sun glinted off the silver resting on one finger. _He's afraid of hurting me, of leaving me alone without his support or love._ He sat forward and rested his hands in his lap, his eyes never leaving the ring on his finger. _I can't…I won't live with the guilt of knowing I held him back. I won't have that on my shoulders. _Slowly, almost as if he was afraid, Simon gripped the metal between two fingers and carefully removed it.

He now held the ring in his palm, his eyes going over every inch of its surface, as if memorizing it. He was surprised when a droplet landed next to the silver, along with another, and more followed that. He hadn't even felt the tears form in his eyes, but that was probably because all he could feel was a pain in his chest and the unease growing in his stomach. _I don't want to, I love him so much, but…he could be so great. He…deserves the chance to do what he's been working for all this time. _He closed his hand around the symbol of love Terry had given him, and shut his eyes as the tears continued to flow. _I have no choice. This is…the only way._

~*()*~

Lucy circled an ad in the newspaper. It was the third apartment ad she had circled today. Each one was a place she wanted to check out with Kevin, to see if they could move there. _Kevin's still a bit unsure about it, but all we need to do is find the right place._ She had hoped to 'house sit' for Terry while he was away from college, but that was out of the question, now. 

Leaning back in her chair, she smiled a little to herself. Terry had certainly dropped a bombshell when he said he was waiting for Simon to graduate before going to college. Not even her father had said anything to convince the model otherwise. _Dad…_ Her smile shrank a bit. It seemed lately that her father had something on his mind, something he was trying to hide from the rest of the family. _I wonder if this has to do with Grandpa._

She wouldn't be surprised if it did. In fact, that's what the house majority believed, that something had happened to Grandpa or Ginger and their mother had gone to fix it. _Ginger wouldn't leave Grandpa for a couple days._ That was the excuse her father had made, but it was pretty false. _Camdens just can't lie._ The phone by her arm rang, shaking her out of her thoughts as she picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Luce. It's Terry. Do you know what's up with Simon?"

"Simon? What do you mean?"

"Well, he came over for the picnic, but then left because something came up. He looked upset."

_Upset?_ "That's odd. He was really looking forward to going out with you."

"Then do you know why he had wanted to cancel?"

"Maybe he saw an old friend that needed help on his way over." She could hear Terry mulling that idea over. "It would explain why he wanted to leave."

"Yeah, it would. But…from the look in his eyes…"

The back door opened and closed behind her, and Lucy quickly turned in her seat. "Hold on, that might be him right now."

Indeed, it was her brother. Instead of asking who it was, though, he simply shook his head and waved her away, hurrying up the stairs. _Terry's right. Something's wrong. _"No, false alarm. Just my dad getting something he forgot."

"Alright. Well, whenever he gets home, tell him to give me a call. I…I'm worried."

_So am I._ "Don't worry, I will. Now, if you excuse me, dad's making the 'we need to talk' sign."

"Gotcha. Bye."

"Bye." Lucy hung up and her gaze drifted to the stairwell Simon had ascended just a few minutes ago. _Let's see what's going on._ Tucking the paper away, she walked up the stairs. Ruthie was out, and the twins were at their first Bible camp. _That should give me and Simon a while to talk._ Not hearing anyone in the bathroom, she went to his door and knocked on it. "Simon?"

It was silent for a minute, then a muffled "go away" drifted through the air. Lucy thought about leaving, but decided against it. _This seems serious._ Hoping she wasn't making a mistake by not respecting Simon's wishes, she turned the knob and stepped into the room. "I can't."

Simon made no move from his bed, didn't even acknowledge she had entered the room. That bothered Lucy. _Simon's usually very testy about respecting his privacy._ Instead, he was sitting hunched over on the edge of his bed. He was staring at something in his hand, the ring Terry had given him. 

"I want to be alone."

The hitched breathing and tone alerted Lucy to the fact that Simon had been crying. Then she spotted a tear fall from his chin. _Is crying. He's crying. Why? _Slowly, she walked over to the bed and sat next to him. She wanted to rest her hand on his back, but had a feeling he wouldn't want that right now. "Simon, what's wrong?"

This time Simon did move. The hand holding the ring clenched into a fist, and he lifted his head to glare at his sister, his eyes tinged red, revealing he'd been crying for a while. "I said go away! Get out and leave me alone! Is that too much to ask for?! Is that too much for you to understand?!"

Lucy tried not to look shaken. After all, if she was going to be a minister, she'd be getting this treatment from time to time. She did, however, scoot over a little. "I understand that, Simon. But I'm worried about you, and so is Terry-"

"Well stop! I don't need you to worry about me and I don't need Terry to either!"

That surprised Lucy. "Simon, I'm your sister, and Terry's your boyfriend-"

"He's not any more!"

Lucy stopped mid-sentence and stared at her younger brother, not even aware her mouth was hanging open. "What?"

Simon took a shuddering breath and turned away from his sister. His voice was quieter, smaller, this time. "He's not my boyfriend anymore. H-he can't be."

Watching his back for another minute, she lifted her hand to touch him, but thought better of it and brought it back. _No wonder he's so shaken up. But…why? Terry would've been broken up to._ She had a sinking feeling that Terry didn't know. "Y-you're right. I'll leave you alone." Standing, she walked over to the door.

"Lucy?"

Lucy put her hand on the door and glanced over her shoulder.

Simon still wasn't facing her, but his voice carried its way to the door. "Please…don't tell him"

She wouldn't. She still couldn't believe she had heard what she had from Simon's mouth. _It's not my place, anyways._ "Alright." She stepped out of the room and went back down the stairs, wondering just what had happened that morning, and why her brother was doing this.

~*()*~

The tension in the Camden household was palpable. Ruthie was tense because of something Peter had said and he had come over to handle it. Eric was still trying to keep the real reason for Annie's trip to Arizona a secret, while handling the twins, who hadn't had the great time at Bible camp that they had been promised. Lucy and Kevin were conspicuously absent, Lucy being on edge about something, and Kevin, picking up on this, took her out. 

Simon, however, was the worst of the lot. While he picked up on theirs peripherally, his own feelings overwhelmed his concern for his family. Even Happy was avoiding him, hiding out in the living room. _It's for the best. I have to…I have to do this for him. _It had taken him hours to get his tears under control. Even now he was having trouble holding them back. But he had a mission to complete tonight, and he wasn't going to let anything stop him.

He simply left a note for his father, telling him he'd be going out, and would be back by curfew. He didn't want to face his father, or anybody for that matter. He really didn't want to face Terry, but his mind was made up, even though his heart wasn't. Even now, when he was sitting in his car outside of Terry's house.

_Don't do this, Simon. You know you don't want to._

Simon took a deep breath. _I have to. I can't hold him back, I won't._

So you're just going to leave him after all he's done? He moved in with your family so he could help you heal. He's been there for you ever since you became a couple. He's postponing college for you.

And that's wrong! He…he could be so great. I'll just drag him down. I'll go to Crawford, like the rest of my family, and I know he'll regret not going to the school of his choice, a prestigious school of his choice, when that happens.

_You don't know that. You're not God. You can't see what's going to happen. He loves you, Simon. Trust in him. _

I do, I just…he loves me so much that he's not thinking of himself. He's been working so hard these past couple of years. What right do I have to keep him from achieving a goal he's sought for so long?

His mind was strangely silent at the question, and he knew there was no real answer to that question. Terry might love him, but he was sacrificing too much. _He'll never leave me to go to college. You know this is the only way._

And he still felt sick to his stomach about his decision.

Getting out of his car, he dragged his feet as he approached the house that had been almost like a second home. It had been his sanctuary when he came out to his family. It was where he had agreed to be Terry's boyfriend. _Stay strong. He's done so much for me. It…it's the least I can do for him._

"Simon? Hey!" Terry gave Simon an uncertain smile. "Is everything okay?"

Simon stepped into the house and shut the door. He had to make this brief, and make a quick getaway before he broke down. He wouldn't be able to hold himself together for long. 

"Simon?"

He avoided looking into Terry's eyes, licking his lips as he tried to get the words out. "Terry, I think…I think we should break up."

Terry hesitated, then stepped forward. "What?"

"I said I think we should break up."

Terry reached out and put his hands on Simon's shoulders. "Simon, look me in the eyes. What's this about?"

"I just…I changed my mind, okay? The ring, the promise…it was just too much pressure, and I can't." He still didn't meet Terry's eyes, though. He couldn't. Terry could always read his face, especially his eyes.

Terry held him another minute before pulling his arms back. "Okay, so the ring was too much. We can go back to dating-"

"No! This is it, Terry! No more dating, no more promises, no more anything! We're through!" He put the ring he was holding on the armrest of the couch. "You go on with your life, and I'll go on with mine, and maybe, if our lives meet in the future, we can get back together, but not right now!"

Terry curled up a bit, as if he had been punched in the gut. Simon could see the pain he was causing, could feel it radiate off Terry, but he refused to back down. "I'll…see you around." With that he turned and left quickly, tears he'd been holding in check by sheer will finally overcoming their obstacle. He got into his car and quickly sped away, not having any destination in mind, just needing to get away from the house, from Terry. For the next few hours, all he could do was drive aimlessly, driven by his need to be as far away from the pain as possible.

~*()*~

Terry stared at the ring laying on the couch armrest, the events of what had just transpired replaying themselves over and over in his mind. His thoughts were in turmoil, trying to processes the torrent of emotions that came from Simon's declaration. When he heard a car screech as it rushed away, part of his mind screamed at him to go after him, to follow him. But he couldn't. His body wasn't listening, it didn't want to listen. It just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry until the pain was gone.

Terry finally got his body to respond, though it was meager at best. He managed to collapse on the couch, reaching out to cradle the ring Simon had discarded. He felt tears sliding down his cheeks, and closed his eyes, holding the ring to his chest, near to his heart. The ache he felt wasn't so much physical as it was emotional, but it was a great deal more painful than any of the last times he had broken up. And he knew that he'd never recover, not without Simon.

He wasn't sure how long he'd ended up laying there, sobbing softly and holding the ring, but when he later regained coherent thought, he noticed that it was dark out, indicating hours had passed. He wasn't sure if he had fallen asleep, but he doubted it. Sniffing, he sat himself back up and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. It was then he realized he had actually dropped the ring. For a second, he thought it had all been a nightmare, but a moment later that hope was dashed as he found the ring resting against his thigh. He picked it up and stared at it for a second, before putting it on the coffee table and sitting back on the couch.

_What happened? Simon seemed…he was so happy yesterday. Lucy said he had been happy this morning. So…what happened? Did I say or do something? Or…is there another guy?_ He wanted to shake that notion off immediately, but he couldn't. There was always that chance. _Though I don't know how or when he'd seen him._ Another thought struck him a minute later. _Could…could he think that I was a mistake, that he isn't really gay?_ It was entirely possible, yet another prospect he hoped wasn't true. 

_Why. Why would he…why._ He blinked and sat up straighter. _He never said why he was breaking up, just that…we were. _Replaying that painful scene in his mind wasn't something he wanted to do, but he had to. He wouldn't give up, wouldn't just forget Simon. There had to be a reason Simon had broken up with him, he just had to find it. "_It's too much pressure."_ He didn't believe that for a second. Simon tended to work well under pressure, and told people when he was under too much. It wasn't like him. _So he's covering for something, but what?_

Simon may have thought they were through, but Terry wasn't going to let him go just like that, not without a fight. He loved Simon, more than he had loved anyone else. _And I'll be damned if he thinks I'm just going to let him go._ Grabbing the phone, he dialed the Camden's home number. _Someone's got to know something._

~*()*~

It was past his curfew when Simon came back, but he didn't much care. He was cried out, and nothing could hurt more than the hole that was in his soul. He didn't even notice his father glaring at him, waiting up for him. He simply passed by the counter and started up the stairs.

_Go back! Say…say you were temporarily insane! He's Lucy's friend. He knows it runs in the family! Just go back!_

While he had been crying and driving, his mind, or heart, he wasn't sure which it was, had kept silent, letting him get the pain out of his system through those mediums. Now, though, now that he was home, that he couldn't cry anymore, the voice was back. It was urging him to go back to Terry, screaming at him not to put both of them through this. He didn't listen to it, though. _I can't. Terry's not thinking about himself, about his future. He's only thinking of me and…and I can't let him sacrifice his dream just for me._

Even though without him you feel dead inside?

Simon's hand rested on the doorknob to his room and his forehead thumped against the door. He didn't know how long he could keep up his resolve. He still loved Terry, that was why he was putting himself through this. _If he doesn't leave soon, though…_

"SIMON!"

Simon blinked slowly and looked over his shoulder, seeing the worried, though slightly angry face of his father. "Um, hi dad. Did you want something?"

Eric studied Simon's face a minute. "Do I want something? Didn't you hear me downstairs? You're past curfew, mister."

Simon simply shrugged and opened the door to his room. "Sorry. It won't happen again."

"You bet it won't. You're on restriction."

"Fine." Simon went into his room and closed the door, going over to his bed and curling up on top of it, ignoring the fact that he was still dressed.

Outside, Eric wasn't sure whether to barge in and demand an explanation, or leave Simon alone. _He hasn't acted like this since that night last year._ Shortly after he and Annie had shut down Simon's escort service, Simon had left, while on restriction, and broke curfew. He never found out what it was, but it had caused his son to retreat emotionally. _Like he's doing now._

Running a hand through his hair, he headed back down the stairs and searched for the tea Terry had left after moving out. He, and Lucy, for that matter, had discovered that whatever was in it helped them to sleep when they were upset, or stressed. 

"Looking for these?"

Eric turned to see Lucy bring in the jar with the tea bags he was looking for. "Yeah. Simon…" He shook his head and took the jar.

Lucy grabbed the kettle and filled it with water. "Yeah…Simon."

Eric furrowed his brow. Simon's tone upstairs worried him. It was hollow, quiet, even uncaring. Lucy had a similar tone. "Do you know what's going on?"

Lucy put the kettle on the stove and ignited the burner, stepping back to lean against the counter. She didn't answer immediately, but the pause wasn't because she didn't know. _She knows, she just isn't sure if she should tell me._ "Lucy, what's going on?"

"Simon…broke up with Terry."

Eric nearly dropped the cup he had removed from the cabinet. "Come again?"

"I'm…not sure why. But this evening Simon…Simon broke up with Terry, gave back the ring and everything." She sighed. "I've been talking with Terry for the past two hours, trying to figure out the reason for it."

"He seemed pretty happy this morning."

"Exactly. Which means something happened on his way over to Terry's."

"But what could happen to make him break up?" The kettle started to whistle, so Eric grabbed a hot pad and picked it up, pouring its water into two mugs he had gotten down. He figured Lucy had her own cup back in her apartment, but since they were here, now, it made sense to do it. "He didn't give up when he was ostracized at school, or after the attack."

"I know." Lucy watched him pour. "I think the only person who knows…is Simon."

"And Simon isn't well." Small_ wonder._ He finished filling the cups and put the tea kettle back on the stove, letting the teabags sit in the hot water. _He broke up with the man of his dreams. _A thought struck Eric. Simon had always been a generous kid. _What if…what if this is something he thinks Terry wants, or needs? _

"What should we do? We have to get them back together. Terry's fired up about this, but he's just as heartbroken as Simon. He just refuses to go down without an explanation."

"Simon hasn't talked to you?" At Lucy's negative headshake, Eric rubbed his neck. "Alright, I'll call Doctor Gibson tomorrow morning. Maybe Simon will explain what's going on to a man he knows has confidentiality rules."

"How does that help us?"

"I don't know, but Simon needs to talk to someone. Tonight he may be acting like he is because of shock, or exhaustion, but the last thing we need is for him to go into a depression." Eric picked up his cup and took a sip of the now flavored water and stared out the window. _And maybe Doctor Gibson would be willing to share the reason if it could help Simon._

~*()*~

Simon wasn't sure why he was at his therapist's place. He didn't even really remember driving there. Actually, he didn't remember much of anything that had happened after last night. The pain on Terry's face was etched in his mind, and his own pain had caused him to retreat mentally. Sure, he got up in the morning, ate breakfast, showered, and dressed, but he did it all on autopilot. His dad had tried to get him to talk. He didn't want to talk. Not to anyone.

__

"So, Simon, why don't we talk about what you did last night."

He looked away from the doctor. Now he remembered. Lucy had driven him here. Kevin had guided him to the office. _Like I'm some criminal._ He felt like one, in some ways. What he had done was low, it had hurt someone he cared about, and now he couldn't dismiss the guilt of his actions. _But…it's for his own good, for his own dreams. Why do I feel so…so…filthy._

"You broke up with Terry. Simon, why? You were very happy with him, in love with him. At our last session you showed me the ring, and talked about how you were going to college together. What changed? What happened that made you break up with him?"

He trusted Doctor Gibson, had trusted him with his innermost thoughts, his desires, his fears. _Can…I trust him with this?_ A bird landed on a branch outside the window, and he watched as it preened its wings a minute. He wasn't consciously aware that he had started telling why, how he'd come in and heard Terry and Jordon talking. His mind and his mouth seemed completely independent as he simply watched the bird while explaining how Terry deserved to go to the college of his choice, how Jordon was right and he'd probably drag Terry to some no-name place, how he thought the only way Terry would leave was if they broke up. 

And when he was finished, he didn't feel any better. Talking had always helped before, but this time it just made him feel worse. _Because you didn't want to leave him, because what Jordon said was the truth, and it hurt. _

"So you never talked to Terry about this?"

"I was eavesdropping. You don't exactly announce that to your boyfriend."

Doctor Gibson sat back in his chair. "Have you thought about talking to him, explaining your feelings, telling him to go and you'll try a long-distance relationship?"

"No." Simon finally pulled his eyes away from the bird and faced his psychiatrist. "He…he'd never leave me. Not after everything that's happened. He didn't even leave when you said I was mostly over the attack. He stayed until the end of the year, for me, incase I needed him." He folded his hands together and rested them on his stomach. "He loves me. He'd do anything, has done just about everything for me. But…he shouldn't have to give up his dreams for me."

"Maybe he wants to give them up for you."

He shook his head. "I know there's compromises in a relationship, but giving up going to college? He's been working for two years to advance in college when he entered, and he gave it all up to stay with me. That isn't a compromise. I'm keeping him from what he's wanted. I don't have that right." He heard Doctor Gibson sigh, a sigh that was between resignation and agreement. _See, it's not just me. Even he thinks I'm right._

"So what will you do? You're obviously hurting."

"I-I…don't know." He really didn't. He suspected the hole in his heart would never heal, not unless he managed to get back together with Terry when he finally graduated and went to college. _If he'll have me back, or if he hasn't found someone…someone else._

Doctor Gibson nodded and wrote something on the pad resting on his lap. "Well, Simon, I think you should go to Terry and talk to him. How you left him was wrong, and I think even you know that. Just explain why you did it, and apologize. It's not too late to fix this."

"But…won't he think that this…stunt…just proves that he can't leave me?"

"I don't know."

_At least he's honest._

"But you should anyways. At the very least, you owe it to him."

He knew he did, but Simon wasn't sure he'd have the courage to face Terry, or the pain he had caused the teen. 

~*()*~

"He just broke up with you?"

"Yes."

"Are you okay?"

"The love of my life just stormed out of it for no apparent reason. How okay do you think I am?"

"Sheesh. You're as cranky as your brother in the morning without a quart of coffee."

Terry sighed and thumped his head on the headboard behind him. "I'm sorry, Amber. I'm just…I'm at a loss of why he did it. He loves me, I know it. I just…I wish I knew what brought this on, and how to fix it."

"Have you tried talking to him?"

Terry ducked his head, not that his friend could see it. "I've…no."

"Well why the hell not? It's not like you to not confront a problem."

"Amber, he's my boy--my ex-boyfriend. If I just barged into his room and demanded to know what was going on, he'd probably clam up. And…I'm kind of afraid." He hunched his shoulders up and picked at his blanket.

"Afraid? Terry, you said yourself that he still loved you."

"I know, but…there's still that thread of doubt, you know? That little voice that says 'he was sincere, and going over will just get your heart broken again.' It can be…very loud."

"Ignore it. Focus your efforts on figuring out what sent him over the edge to do this, and how to fix it."

Terry rubbed his temples and closed his eyes, sighing through his nose. "All I really know is that between the time he left his house and I saw him in mine, he had a complete turn-around revelation of our relationship."

"Wait, wait. In your house?"

"Yeah. I gave him a key. Why?"

"I just didn't know about it. Hey, the morning he came over-"

"Amber! I'm back!"

Terry sat up a bit as he heard his brother over the line. "Hi, aniki."

"Terry! Glad you're on the phone. I just finished talking with the admissions director at Kyoto University. You'd have to take the tests, but he'd be willing to get you in by the new year."

Terry scowled. The last thing he needed was his brother on his back. "I told you that this discussion was-" Terry's eyes widened. _Simon was in my house…_

"Terry? You okay?"

"Of course he's not! Simon broke up with him."

"What? When'd that happen-"

"YOU! You, you…you hiretsukan!"

Jordon's voice took on a wary tone. "Okay…you're obviously upset at me."

"He broke up with me because of you!"

"What?! Terry, don't blame me for your relationship problems."

"He was in my house when I walked out! He probably heard you calling him an idiot!"

"Hey! Not once did I call him an idiot."

"You implied it! How'd you put it? 'Do I really expect him to get into a decent school, I'm throwing my life away?'"

Jordon was silent for a moment. "Okay…I guess you could interpret it that way."

Amber spoke up again. "That's the only way to interpret it!" Terry heard a whap and his brother letting out a yelp before she continued. "Geeze, you can be such an ass sometimes."

"Hey! How was I to know he was listening? It's impolite to eavesdrop."

"Urusai! Because of you I had my heart ripped out, and I bet Simon feels the same way. Oh, I am so going to pound you when next we meet." Sitting up, Terry pulled on his shoes and grabbed his keys.

"I'm, uh, sorry?"

"I'll bet you are. You'd better make this up to us, Jordon, especially to Simon."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll make sure he does something nice."

"Thanks, Amber. I've got a relationship to save." 

"Sayonara."

Terry hung up, not even bothering to wait for his brother to say goodbye. _How could I have missed such an obvious answer? Geeze, I'm getting slow._ _Though, I had been blind sighted, and I wasn't exactly in the right state of mind._ He grabbed his helmet and slammed the door behind him. _I just hope I can make it right._

~*()*~

"I don't feel like company, Lucy."

Lucy crossed her arms and gave Simon a hard look. "I said nothing when you didn't touch dinner. I kept quiet when I heard you crying in the bathroom. But Simon Camden, you are a mess, and it's time you pulled yourself together. We have company, and you will go down and join us. If I have to get Kevin to come up here and drag you down, I will."

Simon rubbed his eyes and stood up, running a hand through his hair to try and straighten it out a bit. He didn't really feel like interacting with anyone right now, as was pretty sure he looked like crap. True, he had heard the front door and some commotion, but he figured it wasn't important. _Probably one of dad's friends._ _And where did Lucy learn that tone?_ Shrugging, he stood up and obediently followed Lucy down the stairs, towards the living room. 

He kept his head down, gathering what little energy he did have after Doctor Gibson's session to put on a decent front for whoever had come to visit. When he stepped inside the living room, he waited to be introduced. _Odd, there's no one talking._ Then he heard the door close behind him, and his head whipped around. _What?_

"Hi, Simon."

Simon tensed, recognizing the voice immediately. _Oh crap. They...they wouldn't do this to me, would they?_ Glancing around the room, he saw that the other doors were closed as well.

__

Of course they would. You were miserable, they knew the reason, and they love you. They know you didn't really want to break it off with him. They want you to be happy again.

He briefly thought about trying to bolt, slamming the doors opens and retreating to his room. He had a feeling, though, that his family wouldn't let him leave. Taking a deep breath, he moved towards the nearest couch and sat on it, his eyes catching Terry's form sitting across from him. He didn't raise his head, but he could feel Terry's eyes on him.

"I figured it out, why you broke up with me."

Simon's heart began to beat faster. Terry's voice wasn't angry, if anything it sounded hurt and apologetic. _He…he knows? But, how? Did…Doctor Gibson tell him?_ He shook off that idea. Doctor Gibson hadn't betrayed his confidence yet, and he doubted he would.

"You shouldn't listen to my brother. I don't believe everything he says, and I know you'll--we'll--get into a great college. It…you didn't have to break up with me because my brother and I were fighting."

Simon's head snapped up and he stared at the golden-eyed teen. Terry's head was at an angle, not meeting Simon's face. _That…he thinks I broke up…because of what Jordon said? Because he thought I was tearing up his family?_ "I…Terry, it's…it's not that."

Terry lifted his head and waited a minute for Simon to continue. When it was obvious that the blond wasn't going to, he sat up straighter. "Then what, Simon. What is it that's so…so important that you had to break up with me?" 

_I…I can't._

Tell him. You hate this, and you don't want to be separated any more. Simon still said nothing, biting his lip as he argued internally.

"Damn it!" Terry ran a hand through his hair and moved to the edge of his seat. "Simon, what the hell is going on? I know you didn't want to do break up with me! I can see you're in as much pain as I am, so what is this about?"

Simon looked at the ground. _He's not leaving until he gets an answer._ He wouldn't put it past Terry to just sit there the rest of the day and through the night. _ I guess…I don't have a choice._ "I…you're right. I heard the discussion. But…that wasn't why I broke up with you."

Terry's stance relaxed slightly, resting his hands together. "So…why did you?"

"I…heard Jordon saying how you could go to these world famous colleges, and I remembered how hard you've worked through high school, I just…I knew you wouldn't leave if I told you to. I thought…I thought breaking up would be the only way to get you to leave me and pursue your dreams and aspirations."

"So, what? You thought me giving up college for you was dumb?"

"I'm not worth it, Terry. You could be a great…anything. You're smart, talented, and you have the test scores to get into the best places on Earth. You shouldn't give that up for me." He stood up and paced until he was behind the couch, putting his hands on the back of the furnishing. "I guess I did believe your brother a little bit, that I'd bring you to a school below your caliber, and I realized you had to go now. But I knew you'd never leave as long as we're together. So…"

"So you broke up with me." Terry shook his head, resting his forehead on his hands. He remained silent for a minute, though Simon wasn't sure if he was collecting his thoughts, or emotionally pulling himself together. "You really hurt me, Simon."

"I-I know."

"You hurt yourself, too."

"Yeah." Simon bowed his own head. "I know."

"You should have talked to me."

"I…realize that now." Neither said anything more, and Simon wondered if Terry was really going to walk out on him now. _I've given him a reason to, and…I don't really deserve him._

"Simon, sit."

"I'd-"

Terry lifted his head and indicated the seat next to him on the couch. "Sit."

Simon tried to resist the temptation, to keep standing where he was. His legs, however, moved over his own accord, and before he knew it, he was sitting next to the model. _So much for keeping control in this situation. Not that I really had it before._ Terry looked over at Simon, and this time Simon could tell the teen was working something out in his head. 

"Do you love me?"

He answered almost automatically. "Yes."

This time Terry turned and faced Simon completely, grabbing him by his arms. "Really, Simon. Do you still love me?"

Simon looked into Terry's eyes, knowing that he needed to answer this honestly for Terry, to reassure him. "Yes. God, Terry, more than anyone I've ever met before."

Terry closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Then he pulled Simon into a hug, one of the tightest Simon had ever felt. "I love you too, Simon. So please, don't do anything like this ever again. I…I thought I had really lost you for a bit."

"S-so, you want me back?" He felt the pain in his chest start to ebb. 

"Yes." Terry pulled back. "But I want you to understand, Simon, you can talk to me about anything. Don't just make assumptions, or jump to conclusions, or make big decisions like that without hearing the whole story." 

"I…I know. I guess, I wasn't really thinking."

"Neither of us were. If I had been, I would've figured out what set you off a lot sooner." He gave Simon a small smile. "So," he dug into his pocket and brought out a ring, holding it out to Simon, "do you want to…be my promised boyfriend again?"

Simon eyed the ring as if it would bite him. "I'm…you want to go back? After everything?"

"Sometimes the simplest words can mend the biggest rifts."

Simon knew what he meant. "I'm…I'm sorry." He picked the ring up and slid it on his finger, his hand resting on it for a few minutes. "Can you forgive me?"

Terry kissed Simon's forehead, then moved down and touched his lips to Simon's. "Yes." He pulled Simon closer, and Simon took the opportunity to snuggle up to his boyfriend. 

_I almost lost this. I…can't believe I was so stupid._ The college situation was still nagging at him, though. "So…are you going to go to college? Or…staying here?"

Terry ran his hand through Simon's hair, savoring the feel of it. "I'm staying here. And Simon, I wasn't going to tell you this, but I didn't stay here just for you."

"Oh." Simon felt his face turn red. _Way to go, assuming you're the only reason._

"I have no idea what I want to be, Simon. When I enter college, I have to declare my major because of all the AP credits. I'll be a hair away from being a Junior, and while I could be in a number of majors, I don't know what I want to be in. So I'm also taking this year to explore, try and find what I want."

"So…I'm just the afterthought?"

"You were more a bonus factor. I had to consider a lot, but you helped me decide that I'd stay. And I figured I deserved a year off from academia." He squeezed Simon. "Staying close to you was just a big extra to that."

Simon closed his eyes and rested his head on Terry's shoulder. "Oh. So…I really jumped to conclusions."

"Yep."

_At least…he's forgiven me. _Despite that, though, he still felt a little empty, and he could sense some tension from Terry. He knew that things weren't back to normal yet, and he'd have a lot to make up for. But, the healing had begun, and it was only a matter of time before the wound of this incident would vanish completely. At least, he hoped it would.

~*()*~

~*()*~

~*()*~

Aniki: older brother

Ototou: younger brother

Sayonara: goodbye

Hiretsukan: bastard

Urusai: shut up

Author's Prattle: Okay! Chapter 31 is finally out! I'm terribly sorry about the delay, but I have a VERY good reason! Just as winter break started…my laptop died. Literally, just wouldn't turn on. I put it in to be fixed, hoping they could salvage it. Three weeks later, I get a call that, and this is a direct quote, "the hard drive is trash, they threw it out." I had ten gigabytes of data that I hadn't backed-up, including this chapter, and all my notes.

I was able to get another laptop rather quickly, though, and I have had this one chapter idea for a while, so I was able to basically redo it. It took some time (school started up again), but I was able to get it out and finish it. I know it's not the best chapter, and I promise to do better, I really do. But that's why this chapter was late.

As for future chapters, I have about an hour every day between or before classes that I spend typing, plus work and home. I've already started chapter 32, but I put it aside to work on an SG fic ("Prodigal Son", working title) that I also lost when my old laptop died. I also didn't get anywhere with my rewrite, and "Cipher's Wake" has been on standby while I find my handwritten notes on the chapters. In addition, I have a LOT of reading this semester (not so much homework, though what I have is hard). And on top of that…I'm on three different Role Playing games with a total of five (soon to be six) characters.

So what's all this mean? It could be a month or so before I finish chapter 32. BUT…we're nearing the end of God's in 7th Heaven. Another ten chapters, maybe fifteen. It won't be the end of the fic, though. Those of you who really enjoy Terry, Simon, and the others, they'll be back in the sequel which I hope to start this fall. It'll really depend on whether I move NOW…or in the summer. 

Okay, enough about that. Disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven. They belong to Brenda Hampton and Aaron Spelling. I DO own Terry, Jordon, and Amber. They are my own creation. I also own this plot, no longer running parallel to the TV show, except by coincidence, or if they leech off me.

I believe that's it for this chapter. I will try and get chapter 32 out by March (I have two midterms on my Birthday…sometimes I hate my major). Again, sorry for the delay, but I have a good reason. As always, reviews and comments are welcome, and above all, enjoy!


	32. Day Off

****

God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

__

By Cypher

Chapter Thirty-two: Day Off

Terry sighed as he took a sip of his Sprite, letting his mind wander a bit. The near disaster in his and Simon's relationship had really rocked him. True, it had been almost a week since the unfortunate incident, and all was forgiven, but it made Terry wonder about their future. Simon was willing to throw away his own happiness for him. _And while sweet…I don't want him to do that. His happiness matters, too._

He didn't entirely blame Simon, truth be told. He was raised to be giving, to put others before himself. It was part of being a Camden. Terry also had a feeling that in the past, Simon had sacrificed his happiness to make someone else happy. _He thought I wanted to go to college without him, that I'd be happy alone._ They had had a long talk after they made up, and Simon promised to never make an assumption like that again.

That didn't stop Terry from worrying, though. They did make some decisions that would help allay that worry. For starters, Simon wouldn't assume and jump to conclusions again. He had promised he would confront Terry face on, not run away, hide, and make up some silly plan to fix it. Communication and trust are an integral part of love, and Terry reminded Simon of that. 

Of course, Terry got reminded of a few things love included as well, especially honesty. He had neglected to tell Simon exactly how much college meant to his brother, as well as where he could've gone. And by not telling Simon, Terry had hurt his boyfriend. So Terry had promised not to hide anything extreme again. Little surprises were still okay, though. 

Setting his drink down, he sat back in his chair and stared up at the clouds. His brother had gotten an earful as well, not that it was entirely his fault. _Still, it was his yelling that upset Simon. _He also had to set Jordon straight on his views of college, and to stop nagging him about going now. _I have my own life, and have for a long time. Why he wants to mess with it now, I have no idea._

Now though, he and Simon were trying to put that whole mess behind them. Simon especially, he had gone out of his way all week to spend time with Terry. _I finally had to say back off._ He shook his head and glanced at his watch. It gave him some time to himself, to get his own life in order. He loved Simon, but they needed their time apart. _I have work, and so does he._

That's actually why he was sitting at this café, a soda going flat and a notepad resting on the table. He was meeting a model, just out of high school from the east coast, who wanted to move to Glen Oak and continue her work and schooling there. _Not that there's much here…_ As one of the older models of the company, and knowing the area pretty well, the local manager had suggested he interview the young lady.

_Being gay and having a boyfriend probably had something to do with it._ He smirked at his own shadow. Lately, to stave off boredom, some of the models had started making small betting pools. The latest one dealt with this interview, and whether the woman would fall for him. _Kind of cruel…but I've got twenty bucks riding on 'not.' _He tended to wear his ring, even in photo shoots when he could. _She'll know I'm taken._ And if that didn't tip her off, Simon was going to come by in another hour so they could go out to lunch. 

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Dax?"

Terry grinned and stood up, quickly looking over the young lady before him. She wore a simple outfit of jeans and a crimson blouse, accenting the blond streaks in his otherwise oak brown hair. Her brown eyes showed a hint of nervousness, and seemed to be glancing around as if looking for something. He shrugged that off, offered her his hand, and she shook it. "Just call me Dax, no title. And you must be Miss Stewart."

"Deena. Call me Deena."

"Well, have a seat, and we'll begin." He waved at the chair across from him, sitting after she did. "First off, why come to Glen Oak? There are a number of other places that would be better for a model, and a lot closer to home."

"I know, but I lived here as a kid, and I wanted to come back."

"Ah, so you don't need the ten cent tour of the town?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm quite familiar with it, and I doubt it's changed too much."

Terry internally smirked. "Well, on the surface, probably not."

"Huh?"

"Nothing important. What sort of job were you looking for?"

"I'm mostly a neck and hand model, but I'm not adverse to learning a new trade."

"That's good. Neck and hand models aren't really in high demand." He wrote a few notes down on the pad. "So you're planning on attending the local college?"

"Yep. I've already been accepted for the fall."

"So you just need to find a place to live?"

"Yes."

"Good luck to you. It is a competitive market."

"I'm keeping an eye out for a room mate." 

Terry made another note to ask around work if anyone needed a room mate, or had an extra room to rent out. "Now, as I recall, you're just seventeen?"

"I'll be eighteen in the fall."

"So you graduated from high school early?"

"Yeah, I skipped ninth grade." She sat up a bit straighter and squared her shoulders.

"Congratulations. You should be proud of that."

"I am." She waved off the waiter when he approached to see if she wanted any water. "So, you've been here a while?"

"A couple years. My best friend was here longer, but she's in Japan now."

"Japan?"

"Yep. You thinking of studying abroad?"

"Maybe one day. So, did you attend the private or public school? Or do you go to church?"

Terry's eyebrows raised and he gave her an amused look. "Aren't I supposed to be interviewing you?"

She ducked her head, her cheeks turning a bit pink. "Yes, well…sorry."  
"Any particular reason you're interested?"

She fidgeted in her chair. "Well, you see, I kinda also came back to try and find an old boyfriend. Even if he doesn't want to get back together, I think he'd be a good friend."

"Ahhh." He nodded, sitting back. "Well, it's not like I know everyone who went to high school with me."

"I know. In fact, he's probably a year behind you. But his father's also a minister in the church."

"Now those I know a bit more of. My brother and I interviewed churches before settling on one. Which Reverend?" He picked up his drink and took a sip of it.

"Reverend Camden."

Terry choked on the liquid and coughed, pounding on his chest to dislodge the misplaced soda. It drew some attention to them from other customers, but he waved that he was okay.

"Are you okay? Was it something I said?"

"Yes, actually." His coughing died down and he wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Sorry, I just wasn't expecting that."

"So you know Reverend Camden?"

"And his family, yes. Very well. So this old boyfriend was…Matt?" It was a false hope. He had a feeling, just based on her age, that her old boyfriend was his current one.

"Well, he was cute, but way too old for me. No, the middle son, Simon. Do you know how he's doing?"

Terry took another sip and tried to figure out how to let her down. "Well, he's gone through some rough times, but he's okay."

"Is he seeing anyone?" She blushed again. "I'm sorry, you probably wouldn't know that."

"Actually, I do, and yes, he is." He felt a bit of a possessive streak run through him, but reminded himself that she had been gone for a long time, and Simon was very happy with Terry. _Guess that whole mess earlier this week has me a bit on edge about other people moving in on him._ He just had to keep that jealous streak under control. 

"Oh. Is she nice?"

"She…" _Of course she would assume it's a she._ "Listen, um, you might want to brace yourself." He leaned forward and folded his hands on the table. "This is going to come as a bit of a shock…"

~*()*~

"Hey." 

Simon looked up as he felt the bed dip and pulled his headphones off. "Hey, Luce."

"How're you doing?" Lucy glanced at the book he was reading. "Summer reading?"

"Better, and yeah. For AP Lit." He sat up a bit straighter and ran a hand through his hair. He had just gotten it cut, to try a new look. Terry liked it, but said he missed the length a bit. Simon missed it too, as Terry tended not to run his hands through his hair as much with this hairstyle. 

"Just better?"

Simon marked his place in the book and set it aside. It was about time for him to start getting ready to meet Terry, anyway. "Yeah, just better. If you mean better compared to how I was after…the incident, a whole lot better."

Lucy watched as her brother shifted positions, leaning to the floor to grab his shoes. "Well, obviously. I still can't believe you tried to break up over such a stupid thing."

He leveled a look at her. "You're one to talk."

"Yes, but you're the stable one, Simon. You're the one who's reasonable and thinks things through and doesn't do…things like that."

"It's different when it comes to Terry." He ducked his head and focused on putting his shoes on. "I…things don't always work that way with him. I…I can't always be the reasonable one around him. I turn into," he shook his head, "geeze, I turn into you."

Lucy shoved Simon playfully. "Jerk."

"Yeah, yeah." He finished tying his laces and sat up, glancing at himself in the mirror. "It's just…"

Lucy nodded and pulled Simon into a hug. "You love him. I understand." She sat back. "Do you think it'll be forever?"

"I hope so, but…" He looked at his ring, turning it around his finger. "No, no buts. I just hope so. I want it to be."

"That's a big decision for you to make so young."

"You knew Kevin was the one for you, and you knew him, what, all of a week? I at least have gone out with Terry for two years." He stood up and grabbed his watch. It was a nice day out, and he planned on walking to his meeting with Terry. _I gotta leave in a minute._

"Hey, don't knock the 'love at first sight' thing. It's why Terry decided to ask you out in the first place." Lucy stood as well. "Well, you have fun. Kevin and I have a date as well, so we may not be back for a while."

Simon nodded and headed for the door. "Okay. And…thanks."

"For checking on you? You're my baby brother. It's my job."

He wrinkled his nose. "I'm not a baby."

Lucy chuckled and stepped out of the room, letting Simon close the door behind them. "Maybe not to the world, but to me you are."

This time Simon shoved Lucy. "I'm going to get you for that."

"Promises, promises. Get going or you're going to be late."

Simon rolled his eyes, but started down the stairs. He paused at the door, then whistled. Happy trotted in a minute later, looking at him. "You want to go for a walk, girl?" In response, the dog stood on her hind legs and waved her forepaws at him. He smiled and grabbed her leash, as well as a few plastic bags. "Alright." He hooked the leash on her collar and headed outside. Happy quickly took the lead. She was heading in the same direction he needed to go to see Terry, so he let her.

Terry's proclamation yesterday that they needed some space had hit him a bit hard, and at the time he had been a bit down about it. He thought he'd hidden it pretty well, but apparently Lucy noticed, and to be honest, he was glad. She was looking out for his well-being, and it was nice to have someone doing it discretely, instead of interfering directly as his parents used to do.

_Used to…_ He paused in his walking as Happy found a particular tree interesting. Lately, his parents had given him a bit of space. His mother wasn't around, but even before that, she had been backing off on the mothering. _Guess she finally realized I'm ready to grow up._ His father was giving him space, but it seemed to stem more from the fact that he was waiting for Simon to come to him. _I should do that tonight._

Normally he would've been with Terry for dinner, but apparently, in his effort to make up his mistake to his boyfriend, he had all but smothered him. _I just didn't want to lose him._ So for the next few days they were putting the breaks on. Terry agreed to a meal today, but he was going to Monterey Bay tomorrow for a quick meeting his company was holding. Simon had agreed that the break would probably be good for them.

And once Simon got over the initial surprise and hurt, he realized that he had missed his time alone, too. He had started his summer reading, rearranged his room, and even spent some time with the twins. Tomorrow he was taking them to the park, and after that he thought about hitting the zoo. He hadn't been since he was a kid, and it had been remodeled over the last few years. _It'd be fun to go with Terry, but it'll be fun to go with my brothers._ He had realized neither of them had been before, so it would be an experience enjoyed by all, he was sure.

So, even though he had derailed their relationship, it was finally starting to get back to normal. _And his birthday's coming up._ Simon had missed the last one, because Terry had gone with his brother to Japan. _This year, I'm making it up to him._ His birthday was approaching as well, but it was after Terry's, and he was sure the model had something great planned. _I'm going to make up for missing last year's, though._ He just had to figure out what to do for a gift.

Happy let out a bark, and Simon saw she was wagging her tail. "Guess no one's brought you into town for a while." The place he was going for lunch had an outdoor area, and on a day like today, he figured he and Terry would eat out there. That way, Happy could be watched, and he could still spend time with his boyfriend. "You're going to beg like crazy, I just know it." He'd give in, of course. He couldn't resist her puppy eyes.

When he approached the restaurant, he was surprised to see that the woman Terry said he had to interview was still there. She had a bit of a stunned look on her face, and seemed to have a hard time saying something. _Guess she found out Terry's gay._ He'd seen it before, women coming up to Terry or him and asking them out, only to find out they weren't interested. 

Coming up to the table, he went up behind Terry and hugged him, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. He didn't care who saw. They were out, and if this woman couldn't handle it, she probably shouldn't be working with his boyfriend anyways. "Hey there. Am I early?"

Terry leaned his head back and shook his head. "No, we're running over, actually." He reached down to stroke Happy. "You brought her?"

"She hadn't been walked today, and I figured it'd be good exercise for her."

"Cool." 

The woman finally spoke up. "This is Simon?"

Terry gave her a curt nod. "Yeah."

"He's…changed."

Simon took a seat between the two people, tying Happy's leash to his chair. "Changed?" He looked at the woman. She seemed familiar, but couldn't quite place it. "Have we met?"

"Ah, yes, yes we did. A while ago."

Simon raised an eyebrow at the flush crossing her face. He looked at Terry in askance.

"Well, Simon, apparently she and I have a few common things. Including falling for you."

"Falling…for…" He looked once more at the woman, trying to place who it could be. 

"And getting you to make that adorable little noise when necking."

"Terry!" This time Simon's face flushed red, but then Terry's words struck him. Only one other person had ever gotten at his neck. "Deena?!"

Deena nodded, then gave Terry a strange look. "He makes a noise?"

"Oh yes, this cute little thing-"

"I do not! And can we not talk about this?" He could see the twinkle in Terry's eyes. _He's enjoying this!_

"Well, I suppose we could, though Deena asked if your kissing skills had improved."

_Two can play at this game._ "You tell me." He leaned over, grabbed Terry's face, and laid one on him. It was one of the most passionate kisses he had given the model to date, and was surprised when Terry let out a small squeak. He held it until he heard Deena cough, then pulled back with a smug look. 

Terry sat staring at Simon for a minute, dazed, then looked over at Deena. "I'm sorry…what were we talking about?"

Simon let out a laugh. Terry had managed to stun him like that, but never the other way around. He made a note to explore that technique later. "So, Deena, you came back to model?"

"And to see if you were still available, but I, um," she glanced between him and Terry, "guess you're taken."

"Very." 

_Was that a possessive tone I heard just now? From Terry?_ He wondered where that came from. _Maybe he's just been good at hiding it before now._ "Yeah, we've been together for about two years now."

"Well, I guess as long as you're happy." She sat back with what Simon interpreted as a defeated look. "You know, I really should've guessed. I mean, the cooking class alone should've tipped me off."

"Hey, I did that for you, if you recall."

"You took a cooking class? And here I've been slaving in the kitchen to teach you."

Simon held a hand up. "I only learned how to bake. None of the good stuff that you cook all the time."

Terry finished off his drink and pushed it to the edge of the table. "Alright, you're forgiven." He faced Deena again, taking on a more serious look. "Do you still want to work here? You'll probably get the job, considering your talents. But if you don't want to, no one will think twice about it."

Simon felt Deena looking him over, and tugged his t-shirt down to straighten it. _She came back…because of me?_ That was actually pretty flattering, but in all honesty, he hadn't really thought of her in any way than as a memory for a long time. Finally, the eyes left him.

"Do you mind if I consider it for a bit? See what other options are available, how housing is, that sort of thing?"

"Of course." Terry stood up and stretched out his hand. "It was nice to meet you, Deena, for many reasons."

"Yes. You too, Dax." With that she stood and left, giving Simon one more glance before leaving the restaurant.

"Terry…did you know who she was before she arrived?"

"Not a clue. It was as big a surprise to me as it was to you. I nearly choked when she said she was looking to hook up with you again." Terry looked down at Happy. "Hey there, girl. Haven't seen you in a bit."

Simon looked over the menu on the table, trying to decide what sounded good to eat. "What did you two talk about?"

"Mostly business, until she brought you up. Then I told her about us, and we talked a bit. Comparing notes, if you will." Terry rested his head on a hand. "She couldn't believe it, even up to the point you came and kissed me. I don't think she was prepared for that. For you having a girlfriend, yes, but not a boyfriend."

"Pretty understandable. At the time we were dating I don't think either of us knew what homosexuality was." Simon rubbed the back of his neck. "You, uh, you didn't really talk about more personal things, did you?"

Terry reached out his foot and rubbed Simon's leg. "Not really, no. I was just teasing."

"And I don't really make any noises when you do that."

"Is that a challenge?"

Simon blushed a bit, but gave Terry a grin. "It can be."

"Maybe when I get back." Terry let out a breath from his nose. "How're you doing? Better than last night?"

"Yeah, a lot."

"You going to be okay for the next two days?"

"Yeah. Actually, what you said about spending time away from each other was a good idea. I've been neglecting Sam and David, and I am their big brother."

"So you're going to spend some time with them?"

"Yep. After this year I'm going," he paused a minute, "we're going to college, and they won't see me much."

"So we're going away for college?"

"Definitely. Nothing short of an emergency is going to keep us here. Glen Oak is nice, but I want to go somewhere else when it's time to leave. The first Camden to leave home for undergrad school."

"That's a lofty goal. Just tell me where you're going to apply so I can, too."

Simon was quiet a minute, then set his menu down. "UCLA is actually one of the places I was thinking of. But if you don't want to…" He still remembered Jordon's offer, and how negatively Terry had responded to it. It might've been because he didn't want to go, but Terry could also have some sort of objection to the school itself.

"That's fine." Terry sat up a bit. "I know you don't want to go to Tokyo U."

Simon shook his head. "No, not really." He had considered it, but living near Terry's family held as much attraction as living near his own. Plus, he wasn't sure he could get in, or survive in the area without knowing the language. "And I know you don't like Stanford, so I won't apply there. Is there anywhere else?"

"Not really. Everything else is fair game."

"And…you're sure you don't mind?"

"I'm positive. Anywhere you go, I go." Terry leaned over and kissed Simon's cheek. "It's a promise, and I'm not changing my mind about it."

"Even if it's in Taiwan?"

"Even if it's on Pluto."

Simon smiled and squeezed Terry's hand. "Thanks."

Happy looked between the two boys, then let out a whine and pawed at Simon's leg.

Simon laughed. "Alright, girl. We'll get lunch." He glanced around and waved at a waiter. _I'm glad things are finally getting back to normal._

~*()*~

"This place is great. What do you think, Kevin. Kevin?" Lucy looked around.

"Just checking out the bathroom. It's bigger than I expected." Kevin stepped out of the bathroom. He was still in uniform, since he had left from work and hadn't changed into his normal clothes, otherwise he would have missed the window to see the apartment. "But what will we do with two bedrooms?"

"One can be an office. Or when we have a family, it can be the child's room."

"I suppose." He walked into the kitchen and looked in the sink. "Does it have a disposal?"

"Yep. Dishwasher, disposal, comes with a fridge. And the landlord said when we talk to the current holder we might be able to get some of this furniture."

"The current holder? You mean this place is still rented?"

"Someone's holding onto it, but they haven't used it in years, probably due to the fact they've moved to Glen Oak and bought a house."

"Is the landlord going to raise the rent price?" 

Lucy took a seat on the couch and checked to see how good its springs were. "He said he'd be willing to keep it at the same rent charge as she's charging the holder, plus utilities since they're off at the moment."

"That brings us to, what, twelve hundred?"

"Probably closer to fourteen hundred. Plus groceries, and other expenses, it shouldn't be more than fifteen hundred." She crossed her arms as Kevin sat next to her. "Is that out of our price range?"

Kevin looked out the window, taking in the view. "Well, it's a little more than what I expected, but I will admit it's a nice place. Fairly close to work, a quick drive to your school, and twenty minutes from your parents' house."

"In other words, exactly what we're looking for. Pretty close to the important aspects of our lives, but far enough away that we can have our own." She nodded and stood up. "This is it, Kevin. This is the place we should get."

"I'll talk to the landlord, see if he'll give me the number to talk to the current holder." Kevin got up and headed out the door.

"I'll be at the car." Kevin waved an acknowledgement, and she walked around the apartment once more. It was sparsely furnished, but had the basics. A couch, a kitchen table, a television, a bed, a desk, and a fridge. They wouldn't need to bring too much, just replace the bed with one big enough for the both of them. _This is perfect. I can see why the holder kept this for so long._ She let out a content sigh and stepped out of the apartment, locking the door behind her, and headed down to the car. 

Kevin was already leaning against it, a piece of paper in his hand. "He apparently doesn't like to have his number handed out, but the landlord gave us his address and we're expected at his house soon. He's leaving to go out of town tomorrow, so we'd better hurry."

"Right." She took the paper from him and got into the car. "Huh, this address looks familiar."

"It's near your neighborhood. You probably passed it on a charity drive or something." Kevin pulled out of the parking space and headed for the residential area. 

"Maybe…" It seemed more familiar than that, like it was an important address. _Maybe one of my friends used to live there?_ She bit her lip and watched as the scenery gradually changed from businesses to houses. The more they drove, the greater the feeling was that she knew where they were going. When they turned onto the street, it finally hit her. "Terry."

"Terry?" Kevin slowed his driving, trying to spot the house number they were looking for.

"Terry lives on this street."

"Well, if he sees us we'll just say it's official business. It's not like he'd have an apartment in the area."

She wasn't so sure about that. _Going out of town tomorrow. Terry's leaving tomorrow. Bought a house in the area, and Terry has a house in the area. _She looked around as Kevin parked the car, and took in the surprised look on his face. "It's his house, isn't it."

"Yep." 

To Lucy, it looked as if Kevin couldn't quite make the connection that Terry and the holder were the same person. "Maybe we shouldn't go in. If he knows, Simon will find out, and then it'll be out in the open."

"He can keep secrets. He kept the fact he was gay for how long? Besides, he's waiting for us. If we don't show up, he'll be suspicious. He'd probably call the landlord back to see who it was that was interested. Either way, he finds out."

Lucy sighed. "Alright, but we have to swear him to secrecy. Until e…er…" She struggled with the word she was searching for.

Kevin seemed to pick up on what she meant. "Escrow?"

"That's it. Until escrow closes."

"Sounds like a plan." He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. 

After taking a deep breath, Lucy did the same, and the two of them walked to his front door. They didn't have to wait long for Terry to open the door, though he appeared distracted. "Hey, Terry."

"Lucy? Um, hi. Look," he glanced over his shoulder, "I'm really busy packing, and someone's coming over to talk about some apartment or something."

"That's why we're here." Kevin waited until Terry was looking at him. "We're interested in that apartment you're holding onto, though I don't know why you have it."

"Oh, um, well." He shrugged and stepped back. "Come on in." He blinked, giving Lucy a curious look. "I didn't know you two were moving."

Lucy shut the door and joined her husband on the couch. "Actually, we're kind of keeping it a secret, until we're ready to move."

"Ah, gotcha." Terry sat on the other couch, digging through a box resting next to him. He muttered a few things in Japanese, tossing an item or two out from time to time.

"So why do you have an apartment when you have a house?"

Terry looked up from the box to meet Kevin's gaze. "Technically, it's not mine. It's in my mother's name. She just never dissolved her hold on the place." He went back to looking through the box. "I think she figured once I graduated we'd leave and never return, and she'd need the apartment again."

"And now?"

"And now…" He coughed, waving some dust away, before pulling out a file and dropping it on the table. "Now, she's dating. And she doesn't think she'll come back here."

Lucy's interest was intrigued. "Your mother's dating?"

"It won't last." Terry opened the file and searched through the papers. 

"That's optimistic."

Terry snorted. "I know my mother. This guy won't make it past the end of the month. Trust me--ah. Found it." He set a stapled stack of papers to the side and skimmed it. "Well, I have no reason to keep it. I can transfer ownership to you in," he glanced at his watch, "with mom's schedule and FedEx, six days. Maybe seven. Then all you have to do is go through the normal application process."

"That's it?" Lucy raised her eyebrows. "No discussion, no nothing, just you'll transfer ownership?"

"Well, the landlord still has to approve you, but the place is rent controlled, so I have a little leeway." He closed the folder and put it back in the box. "Remind me to yell at Jordon for how he organized mom's things."

"Uh, right. So…we just come back in a week? That's it?" 

"Give or take. I'll give you a call." He stood up and wiped some dust off his shirt. "So, glad you're interested, and hope you get it. When I get mom's signature, I'll call you." He nodded towards the door. "Sorry if I don't show you out, but I haven't packed for the trip, and I have laundry that needs to be finished.

"We understand." They stood and Kevin headed for the door. "I do hope your mother and her boyfriend last longer than a month."

"He's an investment broker. They don't last long."

"Your father and her lasted a while."

Terry nodded. "She was also a lot more sedate at the time."

"Oh. Okay. So, you won't tell anyone, right?"

"I'll keep it quiet. And I'll see you in a couple days."

"Alright, have fun on your trip."

"I hope to." Terry picked up the box and headed for the garage.

Lucy left the house, again making sure the door was locked, and got into the car. Kevin had already started the engine. "Well, looks like we have a new place to live." She buckled up. "Did he seem distracted to you?"

"Yeah." Kevin drove off and headed for the Camden house. "He's probably just preoccupied with the trip tomorrow. You heard him, he had laundry to do. Which reminds me…"

Lucy cut him off. "Don't even try. It's your turn." 

~*()*~

"Simon?"

Simon looked up, smiling a bit as his father came into his room. "Hey."

"Lucy said you wanted to see me."

Simon nodded and sat up, giving his father room on his bed. Eric got the hint and took a seat, looking his son over. It was an odd request, and Eric hadn't been expecting it at all. _Is this because he's upset, or in trouble? Or is this…something else?_

"I know I've been kinda distant over the last week, and what I did to you during the," Simon dipped his head, "incident. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. And…thank you. Lucy told me you were the one who planned the thing in the living room, to try and get us back together."

"Apology accepted, and Simon, you were miserable. I'd have done it for any of my children."

"Well, it meant a lot to me. If you hadn't, I'd…" Simon shrugged. "I'd probably still be depressed."

Eric reached over and squeezed Simon's shoulder. "I'm just glad it worked out."

"And thanks for rescinding the restriction. You didn't have to, and I'd have understood if you didn't."

"I had the feeling you and Terry needed time together. Besides, the last thing I need is another kid hanging around the house." He sighed. Even though only two of their kids really needed a lot of parenting, without Annie it was tough. Tomorrow he was going to tell Chandler to take over a few more duties, until Annie returned. 

"The twins are giving you trouble?"

"Just a bit. They're getting too big for their room, and they're having trouble fitting in with the other kids." He hoped that the next meeting of Bible camp would go more smoothly. The first week had been rough for them.

"Well, I was going to take the twins tomorrow. And then after that…" Simon looked around his room. "Why don't I move, and then Sam or David can take this room. That way they're still together with the sliding door, but they have their own spaces."

"Your mother would kill us if we moved them without her here."

"Dad, mom's not here." He lowered his voice. "We know something's wrong with Grandpa, and the last thing she needs to come home to is the chaos of moving everyone so they're accommodated. We can do it for her. I," he looked at his bedspread, "I was going to say I could move in with Terry."

"Absolutely not."

"Dad, he has an extra room."

"And would you sleep there?"

"Yes."

Eric gave him a stern look. Simon averted his eyes, and he knew his son wouldn't sleep there often. "The temptation would be too great. Besides, you're not yet eighteen. You're staying under this roof."

"Okay, then I'll take Matt's old room. David moves in here, and Ruthie can stay where she is." He glanced up. "Not that I'd mind having the attic."

"Moving two will be more than enough, thank you very much." Eric had to give Simon credit. It was a good idea. It would be a hectic couple of days, but the end result would be worth the hassle. "So we'll start that the day after tomorrow." 

"Right."

Eric waited a minute, seeing that Simon was waiting for him to make the next move. _Should I stay or go?_ Simon wasn't giving him any signals. "So, Simon, what's been going on with you other than hanging around with Terry?"

That seemed to be the right thing to say, as Simon visibly relaxed and gave Eric a warm grin. "Not much. I'm getting ready for AP Lit by doing the reading early, and I've been thinking about adding another aspect to my job…"

Eric let Simon just talk, asking a question every now and then. This was the Simon he knew, the one that had some connection with him. He'd lost it around the time of his heart attack, and now, finally, he was finally getting it back. He glanced upward, and offered a silent 'thank you.'

~*()*~

"Alright you two, this is the only ice cream you get, so don't drop it."

"Thank you, Simon."

"Thanks, Simon."

Simon smiled and ruffled his brothers' hair before sending them off. He had opted to go to the zoo first, and the twins had loved every minute of it. Of course they tired pretty quickly, and after they passed the monkey house (where two chimps were doing something that should've been hidden from the public's eyes), he could tell they'd had enough and they left. He did want to come back with Terry and see the whole park, since they barely covered a fourth of it. 

In the meantime, though, he took them to the park, and the instant they stepped out of the car the ice cream truck's music caught the twins' attentions. He had to chase them for a few minutes before he finally got them under control again, and then brought them to the vendor. He would keep an eye on them, but he brought them here to wind down before bringing them home. With the sugar jolt they were going to get from the treat, his family would be grateful for bringing them here.

He walked around a bit, seeing that they were making fast headway on their ice cream so they could go on the jungle gym and swings. He would've continued walking, working off the lunch he had eaten at the zoo, but his feet were hurting a bit. So, he looked for a bench, and paused when he saw a familiar figure sitting only a few yards away. The streaked hair gave her away. _Deena._ He hesitated, then went over and sat next to her. They pretended to be strangers for a minute, Simon not knowing what to say, and Deena not moving from where she was sitting. _Might as well start this._ "Um, hey."

"You know, I wouldn't have minded if you were with another girl. In fact, I was expecting it. You're a great guy." She finally turned to look at him. "But a guy, Simon?"

"If it makes you feel any better, I was as surprised as you were at first. I mean, I had no idea I even had those feelings. All I knew was that I was having these…strange dreams that involved guys. Terry…cleared it up for me."

She looked back to the playground. "He seems nice enough, at least."

"He is. I…really love him. What we had, what we felt, it was real too, and if you hadn't moved away we might still be together." He rested his hands on his knees. "But you did move away, and I couldn't wait around forever. There was no way our relationship could've survived the distance, or the time. You must've known that."

"I could still hope, Simon. And I did. There was always the chance that you never got over me, just like I never really got over you. Sure, I dated, but none of them really meant anything. Not like you meant something." She hung her head and sighed. "But it's moot now, isn't it. You're gay. Not a chance in the world for me to win you back."

Simon reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "Hey, we can still be friends. Me being with Terry doesn't mean we can't hang out. Especially if you're moving here."

She shook her head. "I'm not going to stay, Simon."

Simon sat up straighter, quickly checking on the twins. They were busy entertaining themselves on the monkey bars, perfectly safe. He looked back at Deena. "So, I'm the only reason you came here? That was a pretty big bet."

"Not just because of you, Simon. I do want to work for a modeling company. The one I applied to had a branch here, so I asked to be interviewed here."

"And college?"

"Crawford isn't the only one I got accepted to."

"So basically, you wasted Terry's time just so you could see how I was and if we could date again?" He felt an edge of anger infringe on his voice. "You could've just called. You didn't have to waste his time, or mine. Would it have been so hard to pick up a phone and say 'Hey, Simon, you still wanna date?'"

"I hadn't called in years."

"Which is why it still wouldn't have worked out. You didn't put any effort into maintaining a relationship after the first few months of moving. I can't believe you expected me to just pick up where we left off. So if I'd have had a girlfriend, you'd have tried to break us up?"

"No! Of course not!" She moved over on the bench. "I just…I figured you'd be glad to see me!"

"And maybe, I'd spend more time with you than my girlfriend, and eventually you'd replace her?"

"No! I just…"

"You just what, Deena. You come here, after years of no letters, no phone calls, no nothing, and expect us to get back together. And if we don't, you just leave?"

"It'd be too painful to stay."

"No kidding." Simon bent over and glowered at the ground. "When you left, we were through. You made sure of that. If you want to rebuild the friendship, fine. But if you think I'm going to date you again, be your girlfriend, forget it."

"Because you're gay."

"Not just because of that!" He sat up again and crossed his arms. "Because things don't stay the same. If I were straight, I'd probably have a girlfriend--no, I know I'd have one. I wouldn't just drop her because you showed up in my life again. The feelings are gone, Deena. They left with you. The thing you didn't realize is that they wouldn't come back with you."

"No, I guess they didn't." She looked over to the playground, spotting the two blond boys. "Are those your brothers?"

Simon took a deep breath. It was obvious she got the message, and didn't want to continue the conversation. "Yes. Sam and David."

"They've gotten big."

"They're still growing." He relaxed a little. _At least the truth is out._ He had been happy to see her, but only because they had been good friends. "So…do you want to still be friends?"

She hung her head, then stood up. "Simon…I can't. I…I have to pack. There's a plane I need to catch."

Simon stood as well. "Alright. And I'm sorry you didn't get what you want, but I like my life, and I wouldn't change it, not for you, not for anyone."

"I understand." She stood there another minute, then stepped forward and pressed her lips to his.

Simon stiffened. _Apparently I wasn't clear enough._ He rested his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her away. "No."

"Just…one for the road. Goodbye, Simon."

Bye, Deena." He watched as she walked off, then sat back down and went back to keeping an eye on his brothers. _I can't believe she thought she and I would get back together, after all these years._ He rubbed his arm, shaking his head. _Why doesn't Terry ever have these problems? He gets along fine with his ex's. _He shrugged. _Such is life, I guess. _He smiled a bit as he saw David laughing as he was riding the swings. _I wonder what Terry's up to right now._

~*()*~

"Oh come on, Terry. It's not like we haven't kissed before."

Terry held up the hand with his ring on it. "Taken. Back off."

"Who's going to know? No one can see us in this lighting."

"I'd know, now shoo. Before I have to do something that would land you a trip to the hospital." Terry ignored the pout of the other man and got away from the refreshment table. _Bakayaro. _Sometimes he hated these regional meetings. Sure, he got to spend the day in a great aquarium, but there was always some guy, or girl, that didn't take the hint. He wasn't the only one, at least. It happened to at least half the models that showed up. _Just because we work as models, they assume we'll kiss anyone; or do more._

It was times like this when he really missed Amber. She was usually very successful at scaring off the vendors, and new management. Of course, she tended to just punch them in the nose if they didn't back off. _My sensei just had to teach me to be polite, didn't he._ He took his seat at the table reserved for Glen Oak and rested his head in his hands. _One of these years I'm going to figure out how to get outta these._

"Aren't you supposed to be dealing with some applicant?"

Terry shook his head. He knew she had asked to think about it, but he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was leaving. _She was there because of Simon, and for no other reason._ He had considered the fact that she might stay to be Simon's friend, but it just didn't feel like it. _She's going. I can tell._ The company, of course, would receive the official refusal by the end of the day.

"Oh, heads up. Mr. Flirt is headed our way. Terry, he's your ex-boyfriend."

"Forget it. I've got a steady boyfriend. You divert him."

"Damn. I knew there was a downside to you getting into a commitment."

Terry rolled his eyes and kept his head down. _Hope things are going better with Deena for you, Simon. I really do._

~*()*~

~*()*~

~*()*~

Bakayaro: jerk

Author's Prattle: Well, this one came out quick, didn't it. Actually, I'd have gotten it out sooner, but I had to find a picture of Deena (couldn't remember what she looked like) and my beta had to get back to me. Think of this as a gift for you faithful readers. After waiting so long for the last couple chapters, this one came out faster. Now that I have about an hour a day to write at school, I'm getting a lot more done (on average, about three pages a day; equal to 2500 words a day). I will say I'm not certain when the next chapter will be out. I'm finally getting my rewrite of my first fic started (already up to 13 pages), and that's occupying most of my writing time. Plus, I really want to finish Wake, since it only has about five chapters left to go. So, between that, plus all the reading and other school work, it may be a while.

Not too long, though. I've got lots of ideas to get through before I end this fic, including a VERY special Valentine's Day chapter that I hope you won't soon forget (and it's not what you think, either). I'll also be watching the homosexual marriage issue closely, and that issue as well as others similar to it might slip into this fic (or the sequel). 

So, disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven, it's characters or settings. I DO own Terry, Amber, Jordon, et al; as well as this plot. As for the modeling business, I'd like to mention that I don't work for a modeling company, and is probably not an accurate portrayal. I try, though. 

So, that's it for this chapter. I'll try and have the next one out soon, but I'm really on a roll with my rewrite, so it may be a while. As always, reviews are welcome, and I hope you enjoyed!


	33. A Funeral and a Birthday

****

God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

__

By Cypher

Chapter Thirty-three: A Funeral and a Birthday

Simon let out a content sigh and rested his chin on his hand. Things seemed to be progressing rather smoothly in his life. He had successfully moved into his brother's old room, though he hadn't fully unpacked everything yet. Part of that was just due to laziness on his part. The other reason he hadn't unpacked was because of how much time he was spending with his brothers.

First he had to get them moved, which he and his father had done relatively quickly, though Sam and David kept getting underfoot. He made it a point to take them to the park every other day or so, even for a short hour. And today he brought them to a special two hour children's reading time at the library. Terry, needing to do some research, had offered to drive them.

On the ride over, he found out that Terry was going to do some research into colleges, try and get a view of which ones would accept his AP status, what possible majors there were and what ones would catch his attention. Simon saw the logic in it, so he had volunteered to help while the twins hung out in the children's section. The problem was, he wasn't studying the book in front of him.

Instead he was studying Terry as the model looked through some titles on a bookshelf. Thanks to a breeze that had picked up outside, his hair wasn't as neat as it usually was and more of a disheveled look. He had opted to wear a simple pair of relaxed blue jeans, which Simon thought emphasized his height. The big thing that caught Simon's attention today, though, was the evergreen shirt he was wearing. It clung to Terry's frame, showing off his form, especially his shoulders and chest. 

So caught up in watching his boyfriend, he didn't hear the chair next to him get pulled out or someone sitting down. "Penny for your thoughts."

"Just admiring how sexy he can look even when he's dressed so casually."

"Hmm…yeah, he is pretty cute."

Simon finally snapped out of his watching. "He's taken-" He turned to look at the woman who spoke, and blinked. "Sarah?"  
Sarah laughed and punched Simon lightly in the shoulder. "Hey, kid. Matt says hi. He'd have come himself, but he's making up for the time he came out here earlier in the year."

Simon grinned and hugged his sister-in-law, then sat back. "What're you doing here?"

"I thought I'd come out, see how my family was doing. I stopped by the house and Ruthie told me you and the twins were here."

"Cool." Simon looked her up and down. "You look good."

"And I wasn't even going for casual."

Simon felt his ears turn red. "You caught me while I was distracted."

"Hey, I understand. He is pretty sexy, though when Matt dresses up-"

"This is something I don't think I should hear." Simon waved as Terry sent him a quick smile. "So how're you two doing?"

"Pretty good. I'm pulling through my classes pretty well, and Matt's, well, he's struggling a bit, but he's doing okay." Sarah smiled at Terry, though it was cut short as he suddenly pulled out his cell phone and headed for the nearest exit. "What about you? I know Matt says you're doing fine, but really, how're you doing?"

Simon leaned forward on the table and rested his hands on it, glancing over to where Terry had just exited. "A lot better. Three weeks ago I, um, did something stupid…"

"Breaking up with Terry?"

Simon wrinkled his nose. "Boy, the Camdens just can't keep a secret from family members, can they."

"Nope. You two okay now?"

"Much. We still hit a rough patch every now and then, but we're talking a lot more so that we won't have that mistake again." He ran a hand through his hair, which was almost back to its normal length. "I can't believe I almost lost him…"

"I almost lost Matt a number of times. Same with Lucy and Kevin. I think it's something in your blood."

Simon snorted. "No kidding." He grinned as Terry came back in, but it faded as he took in the somber look on his face. As Terry arrived at the table, he stood up. "Terry? Everything okay?"

"No." He glanced at Sarah. "Hi."

"Hi. What's up?"

Terry shifted from one foot to another, then bit his lip. "Could you bring the twins home when their reading thing is over? Simon and I'll be there, but I think…we need some privacy. Eric will explain when you get home. Please?"

Sarah shot Simon a confused look, but nodded. "Alright." She stood up and hugged Simon briefly. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah." Simon watched as she left, then raised an eyebrow at Terry. "What's going on?"

"I think it's best I tell you in the car." Terry left the books they had pulled out on the table and exited the building once again.

Simon quickly followed. If Terry left without the courtesy of putting books back on the shelves, it was big. It wasn't long before the two of them were sitting in Terry's car, Terry fiddling with his hands while Simon faced him. "Terry, what's going on?"

"I, um, I've got some bad news…"

Simon's brow furrowed. "Is it about us?"

"What? No, no, nothing like that. It's…Simon, it's your grandfather."

Simon swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "Grandpa…?"

"Simon, I'm so sorry. He…he's gone."

"Oh God…" He rubbed his eyes as he sat back in his seat. He felt Terry reach over and place a hand on his shoulder. His father had never confirmed that the reason why his mother was gone was because his grandfather was getting worse, but it was highly suspected. Even so, it struck pretty hard. "Can we…?"

"Go home? Just buckle up and we'll get going."

Simon sniffed and did so, though he did it automatically. _Why wouldn't she let us come visit him? Why couldn't we see him?_ He felt himself crying, but didn't bother to wipe the tears away. Grandpa had been one of the family members he was closest to, and now he was gone. Before he knew it, they were at home and Terry was out of the car and opening the passenger door. He unbuckled his seatbelt and got up, accepting the one-armed hug Terry offered him as they went into the house.

His grandpa was dead, and he never got a chance to say goodbye, never got to thank him for everything he did. _Grandpa…I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm sorry._

~*()*~

The funeral took place a few days later, and everyone but Eric and the twins seemed to go through it and the wake in shock. Matt and Mary had flown out, though Robby couldn't make it, nor could the Colonel and Ruth. They did send their condolences and thoughts, which seemed to give Annie some strength. Eric seemed a bit more at peace, more accepting of it than the others, and offered as much support to his family as he could; especially Annie.

Sarah and Terry had their hands full through the whole ordeal, as did Kevin. Sarah volunteered to take care of the twins through this time, not having clear memories of their grandfather and not really understanding what was going on. Kevin dealt with most of the arrangements, setting up where the wake was, making sure there was enough seats for everyone, and that his wife was taken care of.

Terry dealt with catering, even asking Eric if he could create some of Charles' favorite dishes as a tribute to him. He also made rounds between the Camden siblings, making sure they were holding up okay. Ruthie had turned to Simon, shutting out Peter. Simon had returned to a protective and guiding role for her, though Terry knew his boyfriend was hurting just as much, if not more so, than his sister. Lucy shifted between hysterical crying and silent mourning, so much so that Terry finally let Kevin deal with it.

Matt surprised him, though. Matt cried silently, which was expected, but did nothing to comfort his siblings, which was unusual. Terry assumed, from previous actions, that Matt would be the first to gather his brothers and sisters and help them through this time. Instead, he sulked in a corner, drinking punch and staring at nothing. 

Weaving his ways through the crowd, Terry finally entered Matt's little corner and followed his eyes, trying to see what he did and coming up with nothing. "Matt? You okay?" He got no response, so he patted the eldest Camden's arm. "Hey, Matt Camden. Paging Matt Camden." That got a bit of a reaction, the foggy look in Matt's eyes clearing as he looked around for a phone. "Hey, Matt, you with me?"

"What?" Matt finally realized that Terry was there. "Didn't someone just page me?"

"Yeah, I did. This is your grandfather's wake and you're just sulking in the corner. I know this sounds odd considering the circumstances, but are you okay?"

"No." He went back to staring. "No, not really."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Matt took another drink from his plastic cup. "No."

Terry frowned, then looked around the room. "You know, Simon and Lucy and all of them could use you."

"I'll talk with them later."

"Mary was sobbing-"

"I said later!" A few people looked over at the two of them, but Matt ignored them. "Can't you get it through your thick skull I want to be alone?!"

Terry held up his hands, recognizing he'd stepped over a line. "Alright, I'm sorry."

"You should be."

Terry sighed and left the corner, catching Eric's eye as he made his way into the kitchen. 

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I tried to help too much." He glanced at Matt. "I guess he just needs some time."

"Matt knew Charles longer than any of the other kids. He got like this after Annie's mother died as well. He just needs some time alone, then he'll pull together and start checking on his siblings."

"Oh. You could've warned me."

"Sorry. It happens so rarely."

Terry let out a slow breath and looked around, trying to spot his boyfriend's blond head. "Where's Simon?"

Eric frowned and glanced around the room, spotting Ruthie with Mary, and shrugged. "I don't know."

Terry mirrored Eric's frown. "I'll be back later."

"Maybe you should give Simon some time as well."

Terry hesitated, thinking about Eric's suggestion. "He'll tell me if he wants to be alone."

"If you think that's best."

Terry nodded and wound his way to the stairs, hurrying up and going to Simon's room. He knocked, but with the noise downstairs, he wasn't sure he'd hear if Simon's answer. After a minute he opened his door, and found an empty room. _Odd._ He checked Simon's old room, but only found Sarah with the twins. Happy was lying on Mary's bed in the attic, but otherwise there wasn't any sign of Simon. _Maybe he does want some time alone._ Of course, if Simon wanted to avoid the crowd downstairs, he'd have to get out of the house to do so.

_I wonder…_ Going back downstairs and nodding to a couple of guests, he walked past the line of cars and into the Camden garage. Closing the door, the noise from the wake was greatly muffled. He crept up the stairs and stuck his head through the apartment door. _Bingo._ Simon was laying on the sole bed of the room. Terry came all the way in and shut the door. He waited a minute, then walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to rub Simon's back.

"Hey."

Simon let out a choked sob, then turned his head to look at Terry. "Hey…"

"You want a hug?"

"God yes."

Terry scooped Simon into his arms and held him as the younger teen cried into his shirt. He tried to make some sort of soothing noise, but he couldn't think of any that would really help. After a few minutes, he pulled Simon down so they were both lying on the bed. He kissed Simon's forehead and rested his chin on Simon's shoulder. "Do you want me to go?"

Simon shook his head. "Could you just…stay with me for a while?"

"Of course." He rubbed Simon's back and closed his eyes, trying to ease the pain away. "I'll stay as long as you need me."

"Thank you." Simon snuggled against the model, and the two of them laid there until both fell into a light nap.

~*()*~

"Thanks for all your help, Sarah."

"Hey, it's no problem. My parents said they'd stay a bit late, help clean up the place to give you and Mrs. Camden a break." Sarah sat back on the chair and rested her hands around the tea cup before her. "How is she?"

"Annie?" Eric glanced over his shoulder towards the living room. "She's coping as well as she can. I think the fact that she's lost both her parents has finally hit, and hit hard."

"She knew this was coming, right?"

Eric nodded and poured a second mug of tea. "Yes, but it was still a hard blow, especially the last week. According to Ginger, he didn't recognize anyone, not even Annie. At least, not the adult Annie. He kept asking for his child…" Eric put the kettle down and waited for the hot water to soak the flavor out of the teabag. 

"Was it…quick?"

"Yeah. He went down for his nap and never woke up." He crossed his arms and looked out the window. "Ginger was the one who found out. She went in to give him some water, and…" 

Sarah looked into her tea. She couldn't help but wonder if the Alzheimer's was carried on, or if it skipped a generation, or what. Was Matt going to end up like that one day? Or Simon? She wasn't sure if she, or Terry, could handle that. "Should one of us be out there with her?"

Kevin walked into the kitchen and rested his hands on the counter. "Lucy's cleaning up a little, so Annie's not alone." He grabbed one of the few water bottles left and cracked it open. "She's pretty much on autopilot. We're going to have a rough night."

"Yeah, me too."

"Don't be sure, Sarah." Eric pulled out the teabag and left it to dry. "Matt recovers pretty quickly."

"But at the party…"

"Matt deals with the loss in his own way and own time, but it's never very long. He's always worried about Mary, Simon, all of them." Eric pushed on his back, trying to stretch out a kink. "He might be an insomniac for a night or two, but after that he'll be back to normal." A small smile came to his face. "You should've seen him when Annie's mother died. He was alone for a few hours, then he got all the kids together, explained death, helped them understand what was happening. One of the rare times he was more of an adult than Annie or I. We were too busy and shocked to think to do that at the time."

"When?" Matt came down the stairs and raised an eyebrow at his father. "What're you talking about?"

"Nothing much, dear." Sarah got up and hugged her husband. "Where've you been?"

"Checking on everyone. Mary's retreated a bit, but Ruthie's starting to get back to normal." Matt released Sarah and looked around the kitchen. "Lucy didn't want to talk, so I've been looking for Simon. And Terry. I…sorta owe him an apology."

"It's alright, son. I explained what was going on. He's not angry at you."

"Still, I shouldn't have lashed out like that."

Eric went over and patted Matt's shoulder. "You had every right to. Don't worry about it." He went back and picked up the tea cup. "If you'll excuse me, your mother's waiting for this." He made a quick exit from the kitchen.

Matt watched him leave, then drummed his fingers on his arm. "But where's Simon?"

"Oh, uh," Kevin waved towards the door, "I went to get some stuff out of our apartment and saw him and Terry on our bed. Looks like they fell asleep. Why they couldn't use Simon's room, I don't know…"

"Kay. Thanks, man." Matt headed out the back door.

Sarah simply raised her eyebrows at Kevin. "They're sleeping together?"

"They tend to do that when Simon's hurt." He took a drink of his water. "I don't really like it either, but they keep it clean, and nothing's dissuaded them from continuing the practice."

Sarah shrugged and began picking up some of the dirty plates lying around the room. "Well, want to help me start on the clean up in here?"

"Sure. Until Lucy needs me, anyway." 

~*()*~

Terry looked up as the door to the apartment opened once more. When Kevin had come in, he had been roused from his nap. As a result, he found out that his arm was asleep, so, trying not to wake Simon, he had shifted his position once Kevin left. Of course, after sitting up, his arm woke up, but Simon's weight was now putting his left leg to sleep. _Ah well._

"Hey." Matt came all the way in and looked over the two of them. "You been here long?"

Terry glanced at the alarm clock. "About four hours." He shifted his gaze to Simon and stroked the blond hair softly. "He was tired emotionally, and I guess helping plan everything wore me out, so we kind of ended up asleep."

Matt nodded and crossed his arms, shifting from one foot to the other. "Listen, about earlier…"

"I was out of line, I'm sorry. I should've let you grieve your own way."

"Yes, well, thank you, but I shouldn't have lashed out."

"Yes, you should've. And you did. I didn't know how you mourned, and was intruding into a private moment for you. You had every right to do what you did." Terry straightened his back a bit. "Guess hanging around your family has made me a bit more of a meddler."

Matt let out an amused snort and took a seat at the foot of the bed. "Yeah, we have a habit of doing that, don't we."

"Yes. Big time." The two exchanged a grin before Terry started pulling away from Simon. "I'm guessing you want some privacy?"

"Do you mind?"

"Na. I need to get my limbs moving. Besides, if I don't get up now, I'll screw up my sleep-wake schedule." He pulled Simon's arms from his torso and carefully guided the teen's head to a pillow. It wasn't careful enough, though, as Simon's head almost immediately rebounded and he gave Terry a bleary look. 

"Where ya goin'?"

"Just to the kitchen." He patted Simon's shoulder and stood up, straightening his clothes a bit. 

"Oh…"

Terry leaned down and gave Simon a chaste kiss. "Matt wants to talk to you."

"Matt?" Simon, now a little more awake, pushed himself up and spotted his brother at the end of the bed. "Oh, hi."

"Yeah, hi." Matt hit Simon's leg a couple times. "Ready to get up."

Terry smiled as Simon let out a full stretch and sat up, rubbing his eyes a bit. _He'll be fine._ He climbed down the stairs and returned to the house. _It'll be a rough couple of days, but he'll be fine._ Opening the back door, he found Kevin and Sarah working on the pans. "Hey, need a hand?"

~*()*~

"You let him what?!"

Eric winced at Annie's tone. Two days after the wake, she was finally starting to get caught up in the household status. She was a bit upset about moving the boys' rooms around, but conceded it was probably for the best. This conversation wasn't going quite as well as he'd hoped. "I thought it might help him work through this time. Besides, Terry's all alone in that house, and they've promised not to do anything."

"And you believed them?!"

"Yes, I did." Eric ran a hand through his hair. "Simon's going to be leaving next year, and he's taking Terry with him. Are you going to be worried they'll be doing something for the next four years, too?"

"Yes! Well…" Annie's resolve crumbled for a moment. "That's still a year away! There's no need to tempt fate!"

"I trust our son, and Terry. It's only for a week. This'll be good practice to get them ready for next year when they'll have to live together." He ignored the snort she gave him. "Look, as much as neither of us like it, Simon and Terry are going to be living together, and in another year he'll be eighteen. We can't keep trying to control him. We have to let him grow up. That means…letting them live together, trusting them to do the right thing, the whole deal."

"Well, excuse me for not wanting our baby to grow up so quickly!"

"He's already grown up, Annie. He's been more grown up than Matt or Mary or Lucy. He's chosen his lifestyle, and who he wants to be with. He knows what he wants to do, and he's willing to do what's needed to see he gets it. He's been attacked, been hurt in one of the worst ways, and came out fairly unscathed. He's created his own business and makes more than any of our other kids did at that age, and he's investing it wisely. Annie, he's only an inch from being an adult, and we have to let him go that final distance. We can help him, we can guide him, but we can't control him, not any more."

Annie let out a frustrated sigh and sat down on the bed with a huff. It wasn't a surrender, but it showed she was finally starting to wear down. "We don't have to let him go for more than a night or two."

"It's summer break. There was no reason to say he couldn't stay all week, not without saying we don't trust him." He took a seat a foot away from her and rested his hands in his lap. "And I do trust him, and Terry. It's not like he's moving in for his senior year, it's just for a week." He decided not to mention that Simon had asked if he could move in with Terry for his final year in high school. This fight was bad enough as it was. 

"What if he doesn't want to move back home?"

"He won't run away, and he knows he has to come back, at least for one more year." 

"That still doesn't mean I like this."

"Well, you have to adjust. We both do. Things will change a lot over the next twelve months. Heck, they've already started changing, and we can't stop it, no matter how much we want to."

Annie finally looked over at him. "What else is changing?"

"Well, where the twins sleep, Ruthie growing up…" He cleared his throat. "And I think…Lucy and Kevin are planning to move."

"What? But…they're happy here. They love the apartment."

"They haven't said anything, but there's been these hints. Classifieds lying around open to the apartment section, some extra boxes making their way up to their apartment." He shrugged. "I could be wrong, but I have a feeling they want to leave."

Annie finally laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "So all my babies are leaving."

"Ruthie and the twins will still be here."

"For how long?"

"The twins are just entering elementary school. We have a while before they leave. Heck, Simon'll graduate from college before they enter high school." He reached out and squeezed her hand. "We have three more babies, and eventually we'll have grandchildren. They may be leaving us now, but they'll be back."

Annie sighed and threw an arm over her eyes. "That helps, but it still doesn't make me feel better about everything going on now."

"Well, eventually you'll get used to it. And once you do and it becomes the status quo…they'll change everything again."

"No kidding." Annie remained silent a moment, then pulled her arm away. "So how do the boys like their new room?"

"Well, David wants his new room a different color than it is, but otherwise, they love it."

"Different color, huh? Why don't we go see what color he wants." She sat up. "Painting would keep my mind busy while all these…changes are going on."

Eric nodded and headed for the door. _Glad something will._

~*()*~

Terry groaned as his alarm clock went off. _I thought I turned you off for the summer._ He reached around his headboard blindly before finally closing his fingers around the offending piece of technology. Hitting the off button didn't seem to do anything though, and he wrinkled his nose. _What the hell?_

"Terry. S'phone."

Terry squinted his eyes open and reached over Simon's body, grabbing the phone and nearly whapping Simon's nose as he pulled it over to turn on. "What."

"Happy Birthday!"

Terry flinched away from the phone, and he felt Simon lift his head from the pillow to give him an odd look.

"Hi, Amber."

"Hey, ototou, I'm here too. Happy Birthday."

"Hi."

"Don't tell me we woke you! It's nearly nine where you are!"

Terry glanced up at the clock and nodded. "Hai, hai."

"Terry, you and Simon didn't-"

"It was a movie marathon. We ended up going to bed at three." He usually didn't do such things, but the International channel was having an anime marathon. They had finally given up at three in the morning, when Simon had dozed off and Terry's sleep deprived brain could no longer follow the dialogue. "Doesn't your mind ever leave the gutter?"

"And who's the one sleeping in the same bed as his boyfriend?"

"How do you know he's here?" Terry gave Simon's questioning look a small wave.

"Well, you love him, he just lost his grandfather, and we're standing just outside your door."

"Yes, yeah, and--huh?" Terry blinked at the phone and threw his covers back. He ambled over to the door and stuck his head out. He was immediately caught in a hug, and all he could let out was a muffled squeak of a protest.

"Terry?" Simon got out of the bed and grabbed the bathrobe Terry had loaned him. He shrugged it on as he stepped out into the hall, only to find Terry being hugged by both his brother and Amber. He let out a small yawn. "Don't I get to hug the birthday boy, too?"

Amber stuck her tongue out at him. "You get to hug him all the time. Wait your turn."

Terry let out a good natured laugh and finally pushed the two college students away. "What're you doing here? You could've called, let me know you were coming."

"And ruin the surprise?" Jordon grinned and finally hung up the cell phone in his hand.

"What surprise?"

Amber tackled him, throwing the model off balance until she had him pinned against the hall wall. "We're kidnapping you!"

"…huh?"

Jordon shook his head. "That's the best retort you can come up with? You're turning into me. IQ is below the hundreds before a caffeine fix."

Terry shook himself from Amber's grip and let out a challenging growl. 

Simon, seemingly forgotten, raised his hand. "Kidnapping?"

_Oh yeah, Simon._ "Yeah, what's that about? You in on this, Simon?" The blond shook his head, so Terry turned back to his brother.

"We're taking you away for the next twenty-four hours. We're going to drag you to restaurants, maybe an amusement park, the usual spiel."

"Don't I get a say in this? It's my birthday."

"Nope!" 

Terry rubbed his face. Amber was just as energetic as he remembered her, and he was getting tired just watching her. "Is Simon coming?" That put a halt to what was going on, Jordon's smiling wavering just a tad. _Uh oh._

"We, uh, just planned on taking you with us."

"Yeah, is that okay, Simon? I mean, you get him the rest of the time. You mind?'

Terry looked over to his boyfriend and shrugged helplessly. He could force the issue with them, but he didn't want to make things awkward or tense. They had just flown all the way from Japan to be with him. "You can still stay here, if you want." He caught a hurt look flash across Simon's face, but the blond smiled. 

"You go on. We can celebrate later this week."

"You're sure?" Simon nodded, but his eyes said what he didn't. _We'll have to talk when I get back._ Simon was hurt, but he was letting Terry have a day with his brother. _Well, I won't leave him with nothing._ He pulled Simon into a hug and kissed him. Simon almost immediately took the initiative and dipped Terry back a bit as he pressed on almost aggressively with his lips. He was vaguely aware of Amber encouraging them, but his concentration on the outside world was fading. _He's getting good at this. Really good._ When both were out of breath, Simon stood back up and released Terry. 

"Happy Birthday." Simon squeezed Terry's hand, then headed down the hall towards the kitchen.

Terry stared after him, trying not to look dazed in front of his brother and friend, and failing miserably. _That was…some kiss._ It was a level up from how Simon had kissed him when they had been at the table with Deena. _He's been practicing._

Jordon looked at where Simon was and back to his brother. "So…things are going good between you two?"

"Uh huh."

"You know, with passion like that, I don't know why you don't jump his bone-OW!" Amber hopped on one foot as she lifted the other one to rub it, glaring at Jordon. "What'd you do THAT for?"

Jordon hummed and looked at anywhere but Terry or Amber. 

Terry finally caught his breath and headed for his bedroom. "Why don't I shower and you can take me out to breakfast." He ducked into the room and couldn't stop the a smile from breaking across his face. This was going to be a good birthday. Spending time with Jordon and Amber, and Simon waiting for him, with hopefully more of those kisses. _Oh yeah, definitely going to be a good birthday._

~*()*~

"So they just left you?"

Simon shrugged as he tossed a peanut to a squirrel. He and Lucy were walking through one of the parks on the outskirts of Glen Oak. Since he couldn't spend the day with Terry, he had decided to do something for himself. He hadn't given any indication to Terry of what he wanted for his birthday, which was just a week away. He figured today he could just clear his head and think about it, as well as figure out what he would do about Terry's birthday. All the plans he made just went out the window, and he wasn't sure he could rearrange them.

"Well, that was sort of rude." Lucy grabbed a few nuts from the bag and tossed them as well. 

"They came from Japan to celebrate Terry's birthday. If Matt did that for me, Terry'd let me go off and enjoy time with him. I'm a little hurt, but I can't blame him for going." The gate he was looking for was just ahead. The park had been renovating a small corner of it, turning it into a Japanese garden. He had figured he and Terry could take a walk there, but since Terry was gone, and he knew he couldn't get his lunch reservations back, he was going to scope it out and see if there was a place to have a picnic.

"Still. They could've included you."

"There's not much I can do about it." He dumped the nut remains on the ground and tossed the empty bag into a trash receptacle. "Besides, Terry's face lit up. He was glad they were there, really glad. I…didn't want to spoil it for him."

"And you? Didn't they do anything to make you glad?"

Simon felt his cheeks turn a bit red. "Well, Terry and I kissed. Really, really kissed. It was, um…" 

"Intense?"

"Yeah."

"You or him?"

"Me."

Lucy stopped walking. "You?"

Simon paused as well and looked back at her. "What? I'm not allowed to be a great kisser?"

"Well, you haven't had much experience, and Terry…"

"Lucy, kissing a guy isn't that different from kissing a girl. You just…put your hands in a different place. Feels a bit different--why am I telling you this? Why are you even interested?"

It was Lucy's turn to shrug as she caught up with him. "The conversation went that way, and…curiosity."

"You kiss guys all the time. You know what it's like."

"It's got to be different when you're a guy, though."

"Not as much as you'd think." He quickly scanned the sign by the entrance. It, along with a rose garden in a park closer to his house, were the city's memorial to September Eleventh and those lost in the War in Iraq. Underneath was a quick set of rules. Food was allowed, but they did talk about keeping the area clean, and quiet. "Do you think it'll be nice?"

"Kissing Terry? From your dopey grins I would suppose so."

Simon gave her an amused look, but shook his head. "I mean the gardens. Terry said some of the ones here don't do real ones justice. Think the city got it even remotely close?"

"If not, I'm sure it'll be great. It is a memorial to those that died."

Simon nodded, then stepped into the garden, trying to take it all in at once. There was what he assumed to be a tea house almost immediately to his left. A little farther back and, while closer to the center of the park, still offset to the left, was a two-tiered waterfall. It wasn't gushing, but it wasn't trickling either. It was actually rather soothing, similar to listening to the rain at night when it was pouring. The waterfall led into a rather large lake that took up most of the garden's area. There were two bridges, one directly in the path before him, and one down towards the right, where a small shrine was set up. And of course, there were a variety of plants. Trees, ferns, flowers, some of which he recognized, but most of which he couldn't identify.

"I think Terry'll like it."

Simon nodded, still just taking in the beauty of it. It was active, a few people walking around or leaning over the bridge, talking quietly. Along the cobbled path were benches, spread conservatively and placed in strategic points. Plenty of places he and Terry could sit to eat lunch. _Yeah, he'll enjoy it._ Simon was enjoying it, and he had only stepped a foot into the place. _No wonder Terry was looking for one after the APs. It's pretty relaxing. _Picking the path to his right, away from the waterfall, he began a slow trek through the garden. _I wonder what Terry's doing right now._

~*()*~

"One, two three, four-yeah!"

"Anta no sei ja nai wa, shiran kao shiteba ii; itsudemo otoko dake ga, itai me ni awaseteru; saa, hayaku nigeru no yo!"

Jordon grinned as the music faded out and he handed his microphone to Amber. "Not bad. You still practicing?"

Terry plopped down in the nearest seat as Amber took up the next song. "In the shower. Simon thinks my voice is soothing, too."

"You've never sung Sleepless Beauty to him, have you."

Terry laughed and picked up his glass of sake. "No, I don't think I have." He took a sip of his drink. "You know, Lucy and Kevin are moving into here in two weeks. We really shouldn't be having part of this celebration in their new home."

"Bah, we'll clean up when we're done."

"You mean I will after you leave."

"Semantics."

Terry shook his head and punched Jordon in the arm. "Baka."

"Yeah, yeah. So, now that you're properly inebriated-"

"I've had one sip!"

"We're going to take you to-"

"Disneyland?"

"A bookstore!"

Terry's face lit up, though he nearly fell to the floor laughing at Amber's fallen look. Hey, it was his birthday, and he liked to go to bookstores. Especially now that they also included DVD and CD areas, and he always wanted to go when his brother was paying.

"A bookstore? Come on, Jordon. We can do better than that."

"We have to get the gifts out of the way now so that we can party later."

Amber seemed to think about that, then shrugged. "Well, that's a good point."

Jordon clapped his hands together. "Yosha! I'll get the car, you two get ready to go." He dug into his pockets and pulled out some keys as he left.

Terry rested a few minutes, then hauled himself off the chair and stretched. _Breakfast, brotherly wrestling, karaoke, and now a bookstore. They are so spoiling me._ Amber took the momentary lapse in his judgment to take advantage of his extended body and tickled his sides. "AH!" He brought his hands down and backed away, Amber following him waving her fingers. "No. No, no, no, no, no. No tickling."

"Come, come. Preacher's boy isn't the only one who gets to enjoy tickling you."

Terry felt his face turn red at Amber's insinuation, not that her lecherous grin was helping, and he ducked his head. "He doesn't…we're not…I mean…"

Amber let out a roar of laughter and swatted Terry on the back. "Geeze! And I thought nothing could embarrass you! Little Terry is shy about sex!"

"I am not! Just…sex with Simon." He could tell his blush reached the roots of his hair, and felt the heat spread over his body. _Oh, she's going to be teasing me about this for a long time. _"And maybe talking about it…"

Amber put an arm around his shoulder and steered him towards the door. "Boy, you're really stuck on him, aren't you."

"Uh huh--I mean I'm really in love with him, not-"

"'Stuck' on him, yeah, I know." She squeezed his shoulder. "I'm glad you're happy with him."

He felt the blush start to leave him. "Me too. I really don't know if I could be happy with anybody else."

"Hey, if your brother could get over Sakura, you'd probably get over Simon."

Terry wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, well, let's hope I never have a chance to find out."

"Yep, here's hoping." She stopped at the entrance of the building, watching Jordon fiddle with the radio in the car he was sitting in. "You realize you're letting your brother, who's high on life, drive, right?"

Terry groaned and rested his forehead against Amber's shoulder. "I don't suppose you brought any tranquilizers?"

"Nope."

"Damn. Well, how bad could he be?" As if in response, Jordon revved the engine and gave the horn a quick hit, telling them to hurry. "Maybe we can wrestle the keys away?"

"You distract him, I'll shove him out the door."

"Deal."

~*()*~

Kevin put an arm around Lucy's shoulder. "You ready to do this?"

Lucy took a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be." With Simon over tonight to spend dinner with them and play with the twins, they had decided to tell the family they were moving out. The papers were already in escrow, and the major packing would have to happen in about a week. _Best to let them know now rather than have them find out when we're dragging the mattress down._ With her resolve still strong, she pushed open the door to the dining room and smiled around the room.

Simon glanced at them briefly, but quickly went back to talking with Ruthie over…something. They were talking in low tones, so they couldn't be heard. _Good to see them getting their bond back._ It had vanished for a while, but with everything that had happened the last few months, they seemed to be mending the rift quickly.

The twins were, of course, playing a little with their food as they ate, and her father was trying to chastise them for it. Her mother, on the other hand, seemed to pretty much watch everything. It was obvious that, even after five days, the death of her father was bothering her. _Not that I can blame her._ Had her own dad not made it through the heart surgery, she probably would've been haunted by it, too.

Quietly, she and Kevin took their seats, neither quite sure how to start this discussion. Simon and Ruthie finally broke off whatever discussion they were having and dug into their plates, Simon casting them a curious look every now and then. _Wonder what that's about._ Next to her, Kevin cleared his throat, which caught the attention of everyone at the table, even Sam and David. _Subtle._

"Well, mom, dad, guys. We have to make a little announcement."

Annie spoke up first. "Is Lucy pregnant?"

Kevin coughed and Lucy wasn't sure whether to pat him on the back or hit him with the terrified expression that had passed his face momentarily. _We'll discuss that little thing later._ "No, mom. It's something else." She tried to ignore the disappointed look Annie had and continued on. "We've had a really great time here, living with you over the garage. It was a very nice wedding gift, and we are really grateful for putting it together for us. But, it's time Kevin and I moved out, to our own place. Still nearby, in case you need us, but off on our own." 

She waited for the horrified expressions of her mother and surprised noises from the rest of her family. Instead, everyone simply went back to their meals. "What? That's it?"

Simon shrugged. "We all kind of knew. Ruthie told me."

Lucy sighed. She should've known that she couldn't keep a secret like that from Ruthie. It was a little big, plus she hadn't exactly been hiding when she was looking through newspapers. 

Eric threw in how he found out. "And I saw some classifieds lying around opened to the apartment section."

"Oh. So…you're all okay with this?"

Again, Simon shrugged, and Ruthie nodded. Annie let out a sigh and pushed her food around with her fork. 

"Mom?" It wasn't like her to be quiet. _She doesn't do quiet. She vocalizes. _She caught a look between her parents, but couldn't quite interpret it.

"Are you sure you want to leave? You've got a fairly good deal with our apartment. You're near us, it's not expensive, and food is free."

"Yes, and that's sort of why. If we're ever going to learn how to make it on our own, we can't be dependent on you. We have to find our own way. I have to learn not to run to you over every problem, no matter what it is. Matt was already in an apartment when he was my age. We've had a while to get used to living together, and you've helped with that transition, but it's time we moved on." Lucy shifted in her seat as Annie continued to stare at her, somewhat uncomfortable at the look her mom was giving her and Kevin.

"Alright, if that's what you want. When do you plan on moving out?"

Kevin put his arms on the table, taking charge of the conversation. "We've actually found a place, and we should be able to move in a couple weeks."

"Is it nearby?"

"A short drive. We'll be nearby if you need us."

"Alright. But if you ever need anything, you come back here, okay?"

Kevin nodded and reached over to rest his hand on Lucy's. "We will."

Lucy went back to eating, letting the tension out of her body. _That wasn't so bad. Mom's reaction sort of worries me, but they're okay with it. _She wondered what would happen when they found out they were buying the apartment lease from Terry. _Probably be okay._ She chewed her food and picked up a glass of water. _Speaking of him, I wonder where his brother dragged him to for the night._

~*()*~

Terry shielded his eyes from the strobe light as he left the restroom. Amber had decided that, since the sun had gone down, it was time to go to a club and really party. He wasn't objecting, unless she meant that they were staying until they closed. _Twenty-four hours, and I have over twelve to go._ He would be needing a lot of caffeine fixes to make it through the rest of the time. 

Pushing his way back onto the dance floor, he searched out his friend, and felt his jaw drop as he spotted her. It wasn't that she was dancing rather provocatively with his brother, she did that with him, it was just for fun. It was the fact that his brother had her in a rather obvious lip lock, one that seemed to be mutually enjoyed. _Amber…and aniki?_ All thinking stopped as he just tried to take in that concept. 

Sure, he had put them in the same building, hoping Amber would get Jordon back into the dating world after Sakura. He had joked with Jordon that he could always pair up with her, but to actually see them together, it simply fried his brain. _Okay…well, they certainly are going all out on birthday surprises._ A grin started to tug at the corners of his mouth. _You know, this opens the door to a whole new way to tease aniki. _Jordon loved to tease him about Simon. _Oh this payback is going to be sweet._ Turning around, he let himself get lost in the music once more. He'd wait until they were back in Japan, then the fun would really start.

~*()*~

~*()*~

~*()*~

Ototou: younger brother

Hai: yes

Baka: idiot

Yosha: alright

Aniki: older brother

Author's Prattle: Wow, I'm getting them out about once a month. 31 in Jan, 32 in Feb, and now 33 in Mar. Fairly impressive, considering all the reading I have to do with my classes. Not only that, but I've got two other fic chapters updated as well today. Not, bad, not bad at all. So, I've finally addressed some of the issues put forth in the previous chapters. Annie's father dying, Lucy and Kevin moving out, and, of course, Jordon and Amber coming out to celebrate Terry's birthday and graduation. I didn't intend for it to be a "counterpoint" chapter, but that's how it turned out, and that's pretty cool.

Disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven. It belongs to Brenda Hampton and Aaron Spelling. I also don't own the song Terry and Jordon were singing, that was the opening theme to Tenchi Universe!, and that belongs to Pioneer. You can find the translation at animelyrics.com. Sleepless Beauty is a Gravitation song, I think it's a pretty cool one. I also don't own Gravitation, I think…Pioneer does. I'm not sure. I do, however, own Terry, Jordon, Amber, and this plot. 

So, that's about it. Spring Break is coming up, and I have a lot to do, so the next chapter probably won't come out until April. I don't have just this fic to work on. "Cipher's Wake" needs to be finished, I'm working on my "Life and Soul" rewrite, and I need to get back to my SG-1 series "Prodigal Son" and "No Need for Daniel!" Hence the reason it takes a while to get chapters out. 

As always, constructive criticism and feedback is greatly appreciated (in emails or reviews), and above all, I hope you enjoyed!


	34. Summer's End

****

God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

__

By Cypher

Chapter Thirty-Four: Summer's End

Simon adjusted his glasses and propped his arms up on the sides of the pool. _It's been an interesting two weeks._ Between his birthday, Terry's birthday, and everything else going on in life, it had been rather busy. This was the first time in a while he could just sit back and relax. Oddly enough, he found himself thinking back to the birthdays, though he couldn't blame himself. It was pretty special.

After Terry had been dropped off by Jordon and Amber, he had basically slept for the next fifteen hours, leaving Simon on his own once more. Whatever they had done, it had wiped Terry out, but he was smiling and even laughing as he slept, so Simon knew he had had a good time. Once he had woken up and they were back to making plans for celebrating birthdays. Terry had come up with the idea that they just share one combined one.

So, Simon had spoiled Terry during the day, and Terry had done the same to Simon that night. It was romantic, practical, and even a bit fun. Terry was very impressed by the Japanese tea garden picnic, and the afternoon of cloud watching was very relaxing, and an interesting lesson in pop psychology. Terry had taken him to a fancy hotel diner for dinner, and followed through with a long cuddling session while they watched the extended DVD of The Two Towers.

As for gifts, Simon had bought Terry a new flute. Granted, he didn't really know anything about buying woodwinds, but he had gotten a friend in the school band to help him. Terry had been looking for a new one as his last one was fairly old. It had certainly been a surprise, but Terry loved it, and even played a piece right there in the park. Terry had given him, surprisingly, a picture he had made during his senior year.

'Black Velvet' was exactly as it sounded, a portrait of black, but certain parts were shaded to give the impression of a body. The only color came from a single rose laying on what was probably a table, and two eyes that Simon had seen before, in fact every time he looked in a mirror he saw them. There wasn't any place at his house to hang it, but Jordon's old room, now his room, had plenty of space.

His room. That had been a shock, but Terry felt it was appropriate. Simon would be staying over at Terry's a lot more than Terry would be at his house. While they usually shared a bed, there would be need for his own room. When he went home after the week-long sleepover, it was with a lot fewer things than he had gone over with. Most of his clothes had remained at Terry's, in his room. Over the rest of the summer he intended to move a few more things over there, but as he still lived at home, it wouldn't be too much.

His parents probably wouldn't be too thrilled at the idea, but he had made the decision to do this, and he wasn't backing down. He was moving away next year, and spending extended periods away from home with his future "roommate" would help him adjust to the idea. Besides, it was helpful to get away from the mess that was his house. Not that it was always a mess, but this year would be particularly hard.

For starters, Kevin and Lucy had moved out, and his parents were in the process of interviewing possible renters. Simon had tried to stay out of it, but he had met some of them and frankly, he'd rather pay for the apartment himself than let them rent it out. When asked his opinion, Simon had pushed for one of the women college students. True, she was high strung, but out of everyone, she seemed like the easiest person to live with.

Then there was Ruthie, and the big changes she was going through. Instead of entering the eighth grade, she had tested out of it, and was actually starting high school. It helped to boost her morale, and Simon hadn't seen her so happy since she had attended the private school. Sadly, she was still going to a public high school, but at least she wouldn't feel so bored in class anymore. It had caused tensions between her and Peter, though, and Simon was tempted to start a betting pool on how long their relationship would last. Normally he wouldn't wish a breakup on anyone, but Peter just rubbed him the wrong way, and Terry had mirrored his sentiments.

Finally, there were the twins. This year they started kindergarten, and Simon had volunteered to help however he could. The big problem was, they didn't seem…ready. Sure, Simon had taught them a few things, and they had learned quite a bit from private schooling sessions, but they hadn't attended a proper preschool, and he was worried they wouldn't do so well. They were pretty much inseparable, and Sam only parroted his brother. He didn't know if that was a common occurrence with twins, but there was something about it that told him something wasn't quite kosher. _Kosher. I've been talking with Sarah too much._

All that commotion, though, wasn't going to happen until the school year started, really. Terry had insisted they relax the rest of the summer, try and ease away the hardships of the last year. So what were they currently doing? Well, it had been a fairly hot week, and after Simon had told Terry he wished there was an open, not overly crowded pool somewhere, Terry had said he belonged to the JCC. His father had worried about the twins being left out, so Simon had promised to take them as well. Thus today they had packed into a car and gone swimming. Lucy and Kevin had come along, even. It was Kevin's first break since moving, and Lucy had insisted they take the opportunity while it existed.

_Looks like she had some other ideas as well._ Once they had arrived and gotten settled, Lucy had roped Kevin into teaching the twins to swim. The cop looked extremely awkward trying to handle the two boys, and it took a lot of control not to laugh at his expression. Terry hadn't even bothered with control and had laughed so hard he had fallen into the pool. Simon had joined him shortly afterward, leaving his sister and brother-in-law to take care of his younger siblings.

They had played around in the water a bit. Some racing, bouncing a beach ball around, even seeing who could hold their breath the longest; which Simon surprisingly won. It was fun to see Terry acting like a kid. It's not that he didn't enjoy the mature teenager he had come to love, it was just that Terry seldom acted so immaturely. This was a rare glimpse into the fun-loving side of his boyfriend, a time when neither of them really cared what other people thought.

They had broken for lunch, and Terry had opted to sunbathe a bit before getting back in the water. _Actually…_ Simon lowered his sunglasses and searched the side of the pool. He had gotten back in after twenty minutes, but just floated by the side and watched the other swimmers. _Where'd Terry get to?_ The chair he had been reclining on was empty.

"Cannonball!"

Simon yelped as a blur passed before him and he was covered with a wave of chlorinated water. He sputtered and put his glasses on the edge of the pool. "Terry!" The teen in question surfaced and grinned, splashing the blond a bit more before diving under the surface. Simon had learned that Terry was very good at skimming the bottom as he moved. "Oh, I'm so gonna get you!" He pushed off from the side and chased after the playful high school graduate.

()

"Oh, so it's a splash war you want, huh? Take this!"

Lucy shook her head at Terry's outburst and led the twins back towards the kid pool. "Your brother and Uncle Terry can certainly be silly, can't they." The twins didn't seem to be listening, clambering to get down the shallow steps into the water.

"Uncle Terry?" Kevin took a seat on the edge of the pool, the water barely coming up to his knees. "Isn't that jumping the gun a bit?"

Lucy shrugged and sat next to him, keeping an eye on the boys as they mimicked their older brother and started a splash war. "Simon's pretty sure he wants to stay with Terry forever, and Terry certainly doesn't seem to want anyone else. What else are they supposed to call him?"

"I don't know, but Uncle?"

"They call you Uncle Kevin."

Kevin huffed and crossed his arms. "I am their uncle. I married you, remember?"

"So you're saying just because they can't marry, Terry doesn't have the right to be included in the family like that?"

Kevin opened his mouth, then shut it. He turned away from her to watch the teens in the big pool.

Lucy ducked her head to hide her smirk. She had won that battle, and she knew it. Kevin was fairly comfortable with Terry and Simon, but there were moments when his upbringing brought old issues to the forefront. _But then, even I wonder about their future._ The Colonel and Ruth hadn't visited since learning the truth, and she was beginning to think it was a form of protest against Terry and Simon's relationship.

"Hey you two! Knock it off before I have to come over and separate you!"

Lucy quickly looked to the twins, who, while splashing each other, didn't seem to be doing anything wrong. She frowned, then remembered Kevin was watching Simon and Terry, and leaning back, she could see why Kevin had made that announcement. Terry and Simon's splashing game had somehow evolved into flirting, and they were currently making out in the middle of the deep end of the pool. _One, two, three…someone's missing a hand--there it is._ For a minute, she wondered if her mother's fears were justified.

Terry finally pulled away and ducked under the surface, appearing two lanes over. He started swimming laps and Simon, grinning like an idiot, swam over to the ladder and got out. He didn't bother drying himself, rather he just walked over and took a seat on the steps of the kid pool, David immediately moving closer to play with his older sibling.

"Someone seems happy."

Simon stuck his tongue out at Lucy, which prompted the twins to do the same. "We were having fun."

Kevin crossed his arms and kicked a little water in the blond's direction. "Let's keep that sort of fun out of the pool, shall we?"

"Oh, like you'd never make out with Lucy in public."

"Not in a public pool, no."

"Private. This is a private pool."

Kevin waved his hand. "Semantics. You know what I mean."

Simon splashed Kevin before turning his attention to the twins. "Alright guys. Want to learn how to swim? I taught your sister, and I can teach you."

"Oh, mom'll be thrilled to hear that." Lucy smirked as Simon's ears took on a pink shade. "You did so well with Ruthie, after all."

"Shut up." Simon took the twins' hands. "Come on, guys. We don't have to take this."

Lucy laughed and stood up, patting Kevin's shoulder. "Come on. I'm going to take a light nap. Want to join me?"

"Maybe later." Kevin got up and stepped out of the pool. "I think I'm going to join Terry and do some laps."

"Have fun." Lucy had suspected, for a little while anyways, that Kevin was in a silent competition with Terry. Terry was clueless to it so far, but Lucy thought it was rather amusing. _Like him outdoing my brother's boyfriend impresses me._ Though she had to admit, as he dove into the pool, that the view was very impressive. _A little competition never hurt anyone._ She grinned as she sat back in her chair, foregoing her nap to watch her husband.

()

"I know I didn't tell you earlier, but it was fun to see you and Simon acting like kids the other day."

Terry shrugged and put his hands in his pocket. "It was fun to do, though it looked like you and Kevin were having your own good time."

"Not as good as yours. Making out in a pool?"

"Least we haven't made out during one of your father's sermons."

Lucy snickered. "Yes, and we all thank you for that."

Terry leaned against the doorway and let his gaze pass over the crowd outside. The sermon today had been brief, as there was a special brunch scheduled. Simon had been roped into helping set up, but he said once he had finished they'd be free to do whatever. "Where's Kevin?"

"He had to take over for someone who called in sick." Pain briefly flashed across Lucy's face, and it didn't go unnoticed by Terry.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I just think I have a touch of the flu. There was a girl in my class yesterday that had it."

"You need a ride home?"

"No, I'm good to drive. The nausea isn't too bad. I think with a little rest I'll be fine."

"Alright. I've got some tea at home that helps upset stomachs, if you want me to drop that off later."

"Thanks, but I don't think it'll be necessary. Besides, I'm stopping by the house later. I think there's still some stuff left over from when you were living there." Lucy patted Terry's arm. "You and Simon have fun. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay. Feel better."

"I will, thanks." She moved away and dug in her purse for keys.

"Everything okay?"

Terry grinned and put an arm around Simon's waist. "Yep. She's just not feeling well."

"Yeah, I hear the flu's making rounds in summer sessions." Simon sighed through his nose. "So, I'm done setting up. Wanna catch brunch?"

"Here?"

"No. There's this new restaurant that opened called Stacks. Thought we could try it out."

"Sounds nice. You drive here?"

"Caught a ride with Lucy."

Terry pulled out his keys and made his way towards the parking lot. "Smart thinking."

Simon walked next to him. "I figured, since we'd be going out afterward." He waited while Terry unlocked the car and they climbed in. "You haven't had much work lately. Is everything okay?"

Terry buckled his seatbelt and raised an eyebrow at Simon as he started the car. "Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

"I don't know. This is the first time in a while you haven't had work almost every day. You didn't get fired, did you?"

"No, of course not." Terry looked both ways before pulling out into the street. "I'm just taking a break. I've worked there for years with little time off. I told them I wanted some, and they gave it to me. I have until August. They want me back for the back-to-school sales."

"Oh." Simon remained silent for a minute, watching the traffic go by. "You know where we're going?"

"I've driven past it a couple times."

"Ah. You, um, you didn't demand a vacation for me, did you? Cause you do need a steady income, even though you're not in school at the moment."

"I know, Simon. But I have plenty in savings and stocks to keep me afloat comfortably for a while. And whether I did it for you…" Terry shrugged. "You were part of it, yeah. I wanted to spend as much time with you as possible. Next year's going to be hard. You may be over more, but you'll have twice as much homework."

"Okay. I just don't want you to give up a lot for me. After what happened earlier…"

Terry reached over and rested a hand on Simon's knee. "I know, and I heard you then. I didn't quit, I'm just taking the first break I've had for a while. The last one was, I think when I helped my brother move. They were more than willing to give me time off, especially after everything that's happened this year."

"Alright." Simon glanced out his window as a group of people on motorcycles pulled up in the lane next to them.

"How would you feel about learning to ride?"

"What?" Simon scratched his arm and tilted his head towards Terry. "Ride?"

"Well, drive. Drive a motorcycle. You want to learn?"

Simon let out a grunt. "My mom would go nuts."

"Yes, she would."

"My dad would put me on restriction."

"Yes, probably."

Simon saw the bikers drive off as the light changed, pulling ahead of Terry's car. "I don't have my own bike."

"You don't have your own car."

Simon had to concede to that point. He used Matt's car. "So I'd use your bike?"

"Yeah, but I think Jordon has one of his older bikes in storage. I'm sure he wouldn't be adverse to handing it over to you." Terry finally spotted the restaurant sign and pulled into the small parking lot.

Simon bit his lip as he thought about the offer. It was an exciting thought, but also frightening. Sure, he got a thrill riding with Terry, but he also knew of the dangers. His father had insisted on telling him, to try and discourage him from being on Terry's bike. _It'd be something more we have in common. And it would be pretty cool._ He rolled his eyes. _Cool. Geeze, how old am I?_ His family would definitely not be happy, but on the other hand, some of the college research books recommended motorcycles over cars, for parking reasons more than anything else. "Alright."

Terry put the car in park and raised an eyebrow at him. "Hmm?"

"I said alright. I'd like to learn."

Terry grinned and leaned over to plant a quick kiss on Simon's lips. "Alright. I'll call Jordon about the bike. Do you mind learning from a model?"

"I don't mind learning anything from you."

Terry ducked his head at the compliment. "I, uh, actually mean an older model. I think your parents would be a little more comfortable with a semi-professional biker teaching you."

"Oh." Simon was a little disappointed it he wouldn't be learning from Terry, but then, he did have a point about his parents. "Yeah, no problem."

"Great." Terry unbuckled his seatbelt and opened his door. "Now let's go put our names in. I hear there's at least a ten minute wait no matter what day you go."

Simon got out as well. "Good thing I had a light breakfast." He put an arm around Terry's waist and walked towards the restaurant.

()

"His parents are going to go nuts, ototou."

"Like you went nuts when okasan gave me lessons?"

"That's different. You know our mother. This is your boyfriend, and his parents will go ballistic."

"Look, I didn't ask for your opinion, I just wanted your permission to-" Terry looked up as a yell came from the kitchen. "Uh, hold on a second." _Did Simon tell his parents already?_ He lowered his cell phone and made his way into the kitchen. _I thought he went upstairs, though I guess he could've come down the back set._ Entering the kitchen, though, he found it wasn't Annie that had made the noise, but Lucy. "Everything okay?"

"Mom thinks I'm pregnant!"

Terry blinked, then looked between the two Camden women. "Isn't that jumping the gun a bit? I mean, the flu is going around."

Annie folded her hands together. "I suppose, but she's having the same cravings I did when I was pregnant with Matt."

"That does not mean I'm pregnant! That's what anyone with the stomach flu would eat!"

"The mood swings, the difficult time sleeping…"

"I can't be pregnant, mom! I don't want to be!" Lucy crossed her arms. "College. College is first. No children until after I graduate!"

"Sometimes our plans have to be put on hold." Annie picked up a mug of some liquid and took a sip.

"But it's impossible! We use protection!" Once she let it out, Lucy's face turned red and she shot Terry a look.

Terry held up his hands and took a step back. "I'll just…go back to the living room." He turned on his heel and left the room before he heard any more. _Okay, I should steer clear of her for a couple days._

"Yo, ototou. Moshi moshi?"

Terry nearly dropped the phone he was holding. "Oh, right." He sighed and put it against his ear. "Sorry."

"You know, if they didn't use spermicide with their contraceptive, their protection is only fairly good. A condom alone won't-"

"I do not want to be having this conversation with you." Terry felt the blood rush to his ears as a mental connection was made. "Oh God…you and Amber-"

"Well, we are adults."

He had to sit down. The image was just…too much. Within minutes he was collapsed on one of the two couches in the living room. _That is SO not something I ever wanted to see, much less imagine._ Unfortunately, the image was now burned in his mind, and the thought of it made him dizzy.

"You know, if it is the flu, then you can use this scare to tell her the best protection without abstaining. We've found-"

"Stop! Urusai! I don't want to hear this!" He could just tell his brother smirking on the other end of the line. "That's going to haunt me for days! Did you have to say anything?"

"Just keeping you up to date on our relationship, that's all. So, as for the bike, yeah, go ahead and have Simon ride it. Probably needs a tune-up first, but it should be fine. You should get him some protective gear."

It took Terry a minute to catch up to the change in the conversation. "Right…right. I'll take him shopping soon. Thanks."

"No problem. You want to talk to Amber? She's laying right here-"

"Ja ne, aniki." He hung up before the conversation returned to that other topic. He was okay with his brother and Amber, but visualizing them together…it was like imaging his parents in bed. Not something he wanted to see, or think about. _Okay, okay, deep breaths. Just…remember, he gets freaked out thinking about what Simon and I could get up to._ That helped a little, but the image was still there. _Computer game. Need to get my mind on something other than…that._

With that in mind, he left the house. He had only gone in to use the bathroom before returning home, and his brother had called him before he could leave. _I should have left while I still could've._ Lucy was going to kill him.

()

"So where are the twins again?"

"Ruthie's entertaining them upstairs. What is it you wanted to talk about?"

Simon rubbed his arm and glanced from the door to his father. Part of him wanted Terry there for moral support, but he knew this was something he had to do this on his own. He took a deep breath and waved at the desk chair, inviting his father to sit down. "Well, dad, as you know I didn't bring all my stuff home from Terry's."

Eric sat down and rested his arms on his knees. "I was wondering about that."

"Um, Terry, he…he sort of invited me to live in Jordon's old room." There wasn't an immediate outburst, so Simon figured that was either a good sign, or his father had already worked that out.

"You told him no, of course."

"Well, sorta." He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to meet his fathers eyes. He settled for looking at his chin instead. "I…I figured I'd be spending a lot of time there this year, and it just made sense to leave some clothes there, rather than pack a bag every single time."

Eric crossed his arms. "How often?"

Simon licked his lips and risked a quick glance at his father's face. "Well, I was kind of hoping…one or two weeks a month."

"No way. Out of the question."

"Dad-"

"Simon, you can't expect me to let you do that during the school year. Over the summer, sometimes, yes. But during the school year? Only the occasional weekend sleepover."

"And I want more than that."

"You can't always have what you want, Simon."

"I know what I'm asking dad. I know you don't want me to go over there because you're worried we'll…do something you don't want us to do." It still disturbed him to talk about his sex life, or lack thereof, with his father. "We won't. We're both more mature than that."

"You're not even out of high school yet, son."

"No, I'm not. But I'm not Matt, or Mary, or even Lucy." Simon sat up a bit straighter. "Matt wasn't ready to leave home, and he had no idea what he wanted by be for years. Mary…well, Mary got lost for a while, but now she's doing great. And Lucy's known what she's wanted, she's just clingy. I'm not any of those, dad. I know where I'm going, I know who I want to be with, and I'm ready to move out of this house. But I also know that you're not ready for that. I'm not asking to move out for good, just a week or two a month. It'll help me adjust to living with Terry, to being on our own."

"You'll do that when you're in college." Eric shook his head. "You'll have a year or so at Crawford to adjust."

"No, I won't. I'm not going to college here, dad. I'm leaving. This county, this state, maybe even this country. I won't, no, I can't stay here like Matt and the others. I have to leave, and I'm prepared to. It's you who aren't, and I'm trying to give you the opportunity to get used to the fact that I'll be gone."

Eric remained quiet at that, staring at Simon. The uncomfortable silence stretched for a few minutes, and Simon could tell his father was trying to figure out if he could convince his son to stay, or if he was really sincere. The minister finally broke the silence when Happy let out a soft growl as she napped. "You're leaving?"

"I can't stay, dad. I said it a year or two ago, that I couldn't stay. I meant it. I know it'll be tough, especially on mom, but you guys have to adjust. This…custody arrangement would help. I'd be nearby, and I'd be home a lot, but I'd also be learning to live on my own. And Terry and I promise to sleep in separate bedrooms if that'll make you more comfortable."

"You've really thought this out, haven't you."

"We have, dad. I've always been more independent than the others. This will give me a taste of real independence."

"And what if you and Terry have a fight? What if I say you can do this but you can't come home for the set time you have to be at Terry's."

Simon sat up a bit. The fact that his father was asking it meant there was a slight chance he was considering saying yes. "Then we have separate rooms, and we'll eventually work it out. Fighting is part of a relationship. You and mom fight, Kevin and Lucy, Matt and Sarah, everyone fights."

"Yes, but if you're living with Terry, he has the power to kick you out. You don't have the same protections as we do."

"He wouldn't do that." Simon knew his dad was trying to poke holes in his confidence. Terry might get upset or angry, but he'd never kick him out. It wasn't in his nature. "Look, dad, I'm growing up. I'm almost an adult. You have to let me go sometime. Why not do it gradually, to make it easier on you?"

Eric sighed, a certain one that Simon knew meant his father would consider it. "I'll talk to your mother. Maybe we'll try a week at a time, and see where we go from there."

Simon smiled and nodded. "Thanks, dad."

"Don't thank me yet. Your mother's going to be the big obstacle." The older man stood up. "So, if that's all-"

"Actually, it's not." Simon's smile felt strained for a minute, and Eric sat back down. After that last battle, he figured this news wouldn't be too bad. "Terry asked if I wanted to learn how to drive a motorcycle, and I said yes."

"Abso-"

Simon interrupted his father's predictable reply. "He's already got Jordon's old bike, and knows a professional instructor to teach me. Please?"

"No way, Simon. Living with Terry is one thing, but driving one of those…death traps…"

"But I ride with Terry all the time. And economically, it'd be cheaper than maintaining and driving a car to college."

"How?"

"Parking. Car parking is pretty expensive, motorcycle parking isn't."

"You can take public transportation." Eric stood up again. "Until you're eighteen, though, the only bike you'll drive is the one sitting in the garage. And I don't want to hear another word. Living with Terry I'll consider, but the answer to riding is no. And that's not changing."

Simon sighed as his shoulders slumped. "Alright." He asked his father as a formality. If he didn't need their permission, he'd learn to ride anyways. He just had to make sure they didn't find out until he was licensed, or until he left. Either one would work.

"Is that all?"

"Yeah. Thanks for listening." Eric nodded and opened the door, only to have it shoved open by a rather upset Lucy. Simon immediately got up and checked on his father, he was holding his nose. "Dad? You okay?"

"Yeah, I think so." He took one look at Lucy and stepped out of the room. "I'd better go…somewhere else."

_Coward._ Though taking in Lucy's face, he wished he could retreat as well. Simon waited until his dad closed the door before taking a deep breath and facing his sister. "Um, what's up?"

()

"She chewed you out for something Annie said?"

"She vented like there was no tomorrow." Simon hit the back of his head on the couch armrest. "All because mom suggested she was pregnant. She also mentioned something about birth control and you," he shot his boyfriend a look, "care to explain that?"

Terry coughed rubbed his head. "Yeah, um, she blurted it out while I was in the room. I made a hasty retreat after that."

"Well, she was pissed. Really pissed."

"I'll send her some flowers tomorrow."

"That's probably for the best."

"So," Terry rubbed Simon's leg, "you want to tell me why you're hiding out here today?"  
"Dad's talking to mom about having me stay here during the school year."

"And you're ducking the fireworks."

"Exactly." Simon looked around the living room, noting that some of the bookshelves had been cleaned out. "You're already making space for my stuff? What if they say no?"

"Well, technically, I should've packed that stuff up a while ago. Most of it belongs to Jordon. He's just been too busy to nag me and I've been, well, busy and lazy." Terry shifted so he was a bit more comfortable facing Simon. "You'll be okay if they say no, right?"

"Yeah. There'll still be weekends and such." Simon played with the edge of his shorts a minute. "Chandler's leaving."

Terry sat a little straighter. "What? When'd that happen?"

"He told dad last night. Something about his father and dealing with a family crisis." Not that Simon would really miss him. Yes, he had helped him through some problems, but overall, he was deadweight now that his father was back as a full-time minister. Plus, Lucy was hoping to help out more administratively, to learn the tools of the trade, for when she became a minister. "So it's going to be busy around the house again."

"It's going to be busy, period. You a senior, Ruthie in high school, the twins…" Terry shook his head. "You know, I said it when we started dating, and I'll say it again. I just can't wrap my head around the idea of living in a large family."

"I think you've managed fairly well."

"As your boyfriend, Simon. I'm not actually a member of the family." An unspoken 'yet' floated through the air, and Simon wondered if it would be possible, someday. "But you actually live it. And having to juggle three other lives, plus your parents'…"

"You adapt, I guess. Though I am trying to pull away somewhat. Not from the twins. But Lucy and Ruthie, and mom and dad." He had to. He was leaving next year. No matter how much he loved his family, he didn't want to stay in Glen Oak.

"I guess. I'm still trying to adjust to the fact that your brothers won't even be out of high school when we finish undergrad."

"Yeah, that is a bit strange." Simon grinned. "But then, that's how it was with me and Matt. It's just family history repeating itself."

Terry sighed and closed his eyes as he rested his head against the back of the couch. "I don't want a family like that."

Simon blinked, then opened his mouth, and shut it again. How was he supposed to respond to that? And what exactly did he mean. "Terry?"

"I mean one where the kids are over five years apart. I want them to be close together. Having a big brother was fun, but it hurts when they have to leave before you're done growing up."

Simon nodded silently, staring at his boyfriend. He had to agree. It had hurt when Matt had left. It even hurt now, though the doctor in training was making an effort to keep them closer than he had been. The family thing still threw him, though. He knew that two guys couldn't have children, and here Terry was saying…he wanted them. _Does he mean adopt some kids?_ "You…want a family?"

Terry finally opened his eyes and looked into Simon's. He chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry. I guess everyone dreams of having a family. Though in our situation it's not really practical, is it." Terry stretched and scratched his neck. "I was just saying, if I ever did have a family, I wouldn't want the siblings to have such a wide range between the ages."

Simon hesitated, then sat up and switched positions, so he could lean his back against Terry. "Do you want a big family?"

"After seeing yours? Not really."

"Hey!"

Terry laughed and found Simon's hand, intertwining it with his own. "Not that you haven't turned out great or anything. But even now…a big family just seems so overwhelming."

Simon pretended to grouse for a few minutes, but he squeezed Terry's hand, nodding slightly. "Yeah, I don't want a big one either. Maybe just one kid. Preferably a boy."

Terry put his feet up on the coffee table and shook his head. "Geeze, listen to us."

"Huh?"

"We sound like Lucy."

Simon hit Terry's leg. "Not even in jest!"

"Well, we're sitting here, talking about families, and how many kids we want."

"You brought it up."

"Well you brought up the topic of expanded family life."

"Yeah, well you…shut up."

Terry laughed and kissed Simon on the head. "Make me."

"Fine." Simon turned and used his weight to pin Terry to the couch, quickly pressing his lips to the model's. He loved moments like these, when it was just the two of them connecting on such an intimate level, without any fear of being broken up. Lately his family was in the habit of interrupting any long, passionate contact. Simon finally pulled back and rolled back to his previous seat, grinning as he took in some needed air.

Beside him, Terry was breathing just as deeply. "You know, I was thinking…"

"Then I didn't do something right."

Terry chuckled. "Not now, just in general. You have two weeks off for winter, right?"

"You know I do."

"Well, there's at least six schools in California you want to check out. How about a little road trip? Just you and me and college tours."

Simon raised his eyebrows. "Really? You mean it?"

"Sure. That gets some college scooping out of the way, and just leaves some others to check out, right?"

Simon shrugged. "Yeah, sure. It could be a fun trip." To be honest, he hadn't been thinking too hard about where he was applying, though he knew he should since the deadline was in October. Or September. _Better find out which. _"Okay, so we'll plan to do that during winter break. Does that mean missing Christmas with the family?" If so, it would be the first one he'd miss, and he wanted at least one more before leaving.

"We shouldn't miss it. School lets out, and then it's three days till Christmas, then a week and a half is left before the semester starts up again."

"Oh yeah."

"Plus, as a senior, you're expected to just up and leave a few times a year to check out places."

"You didn't." Simon snuggled closer to Terry. "But then, you had a good excuse."

"And excellent excuse." Terry sighed and closed his eyes. "Which way do you think they'll decide?"

Simon looked up at the ceiling, waiting for his mind to switch tracks and focus on the question. "To be honest…I don't know. Dad's willing to give it a shot, but with the way mom's been…" He really didn't know what she would decide. All he knew was that whatever she decided, his father would go along with. That's how it was lately. _Not exactly a model relationship._

()

"I can't believe we're helping my son move out."

Eric shook his head at his wife. "He's not moving out completely. We're just bringing over some stuff so he feels at home at Terry's."

She huffed as he put the last box in the car and shut the back door. "He shouldn't need stuff at Terry's. He shouldn't be moving out at all." She crossed her arms. "Why did you put your foot down on this, of all things?"

"Because he's right. We do need time to adjust, and he's also not like any of our other kids. He's ready to be more independent."

"Kids think they're ready for a lot of things! That doesn't mean we let them go out and do them!"

Eric pulled out his keys. "Simon isn't the only one who thinks he's ready. I happen to think it'll be good for him, to grasp just how hard it really is out there on his own."

"So it'll get so hard he comes back home?"

"No, so he knows how to deal with it when he leaves." He wrapped her in a hug, but it wasn't returned. He sighed. "He is leaving, Annie, and this will give him some experience, teach him how to do it with us still close at hand."

"It's still a bad idea."

He let her go and opened the driver's side door. "Look, it's something of a big day for him. So try not to spoil it too much."

"Why not?"

"Because this is important to him. If he thinks you don't approve, or that you think he can't do it…it'll hurt him." He reached over and rubbed her back. "So let's give him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, we still have a month. That's the deal."

Annie stood there frowning for another minute before her shoulders drooped and she headed to the other side of the car. "Fine." She opened her door and looked at Eric. "You don't think the other kids will think they lost out or something, do you?"

Eric paused climbing into the car at the question. "Uh, well, actually…"

()

"You said it'd be good for him?" Lucy looked at Simon carrying in boxes to Terry's house. "You?"

On the other end of the line, Matt simply replied with a simple, "yep."

"How could you say that?"

"Simon's always been more mature than his age. He said he was suffocating at home a few years ago. He may not say it now, or even give off that impression, but I know him. He's still suffocating. He needs this, and if there's any problems he's still near home."

"Well what about Mary and Robbie? Would they approve?"

"Mary mentioned something about expecting it to happen sooner than now, and you know Robbie. He said he was surprised, but that he was okay with it." Lucy heard him shift in his seat. "Why is this such a big deal?"

"He's moving in with his boyfriend. Aren't you the slightest bit worried?"

"One, he's not moving in full time, and they're not starting the one week a month thing until school starts. This last month is for him to spend time with the family, get mom and dad used to the idea."

"And two?"

"I told Terry in no uncertain terms that Simon would be sleeping in one room and he would be in another."

"And you expect him to listen to you?"

"I think he'll respect my wishes. I am Simon's older brother."

Lucy snorted. "When has that worked for any of your other siblings?"

At that, Matt grumbled something unintelligible. "Both of them also know that this is a pretty fragile arrangement. One screw up and mom and dad will pull the plug on it."

Lucy nodded at that. It was a fair enough assessment. "Alright. But still, it surprised me that you agreed-" She let out a yell as a knock came at her window. Looking out, she saw Terry giving her a questioning look. She gave him the 'five more minutes' sign and he nodded, taking off. "Sorry about that. Any who, hearing that you agreed to this was surprising."

"Yeah, well…don't tell mom, okay? At least, not yet. I have a feeling she's probably on edge about the whole thing."

Lucy winced. "Yeah, she is. Ever since Grandpa died…" She let the sentence trail off, not wanting to complete the thought. "Look, I've got to go. Terry ordered lunch for all of us, and I think it's here."

"Have fun, and don't worry. Summer's nearly over. This last month will pass by really quickly. Say hi to Simon for me."

"I will." With that, she hung up the phone and got out of the car, surprised to see Simon leaning against the side of her car. "Uh…"

"You okay? We were starting to get worried."

Lucy smiled and shook her head. "Nothing too bad."

"Flu's not coming back, is it?"

Lucy wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, no. That was one bad week." She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and started walking towards the house. "So, this is a big step for you."

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"You ready for it?"

"I think so…" Simon shrugged. "Ready for lunch?"

"Yeah." She squeezed his shoulder. Matt was right, summer would be ending soon. When the new year started, she had a feeling this arrangement would be the last thing on everyone's mind.

()

()

()

Ototou: little brother

Okasan: mother

Moshi moshi: hello

Urusai: shut up

Ja ne: good-bye

Aniki: older brother

Author's Prattle: Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai! I'm sorry this is SOOOO late! Yes, yes, I know. And to my faithful readers who have waited ever so long…I am grateful! Truly! So why is it so late? Allow me to explain. Because of the way my semester was set up in the spring, I went straight from midterms to group projects and finals. So, got those over with…and bam! I had to move.

I am not kidding. I thought I had until July/August, but nope. So my two weeks off devoted to writing and other certain things…were focused on packing up my room and finding a place to live. Found a lovely place, by the way. One bedroom, privacy…I love it (I'm going to miss the house, but I love it).

So, the boxes finally arrive at my place…and summer semester starts. I thought I'd have time in class to write, but nope. It's too interesting (not to mention fun) that I can't really focus on writing fanfic. I have decided to pull a double major (Genetics and Creative Writing) because of it.

That's not all, though. That's right, folks. In the midst of unpacking and going to classes…my sister graduates from high school (with more honors than I). It was…meaningful. Plus, a lot of relatives (including one I haven't seen in five years) came to see it. So that's it. THAT'S why nothing's really been updated.

I also hate to tell you that chapter thirty-five will be delayed, as will chapters in other fics. I am attempting to edit one of my fics to turn into an actual book (yeah, published with permission from its owners). I'm also trying to WRITE a book (reference, actually) because there's a publishing company looking for stuff like that, so I've actually got a shot. Add to that another job to pay for rent and utilities…I am not giving up on my fics, I simply cannot focus on them as much as I used to. I apologize, but I am doing the best I can. So thank you for hanging around.

Alright, disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven, its characters or creators. They belong to Brenda Hampton, Aaron Spelling, and the WB. I'm simply using them in a creative exercise. Don't sue, as I REALLY don't have any money now.

Okay, that's about it. I know it's not the greatest chapter, but it moves us forward into the last six or so chapters that will be in this fic. I even have a very special Valentine's day fic planned…which I won't give any spoilers for. And remember, "God's in 7th Heaven" is only one book in the series. It will continue even if this ends. Though if I can't think up a better title….bah, any who, I hoped you enjoyed, and as always, feedback is welcome. Arigato and sayonara!


	35. Complications

****

God's in 7th Heaven, All's Right with the World

By Cypher

Chapter Thirty-Five: Complications

Terry tucked his hands in his jeans as he walked around the elementary school. Sure, he'd seen them from the outside, but this was his first time actually in one. To him, it looked like a more compact high school, with age-appropriate posters hanging on classroom walls and cubby holes instead of lockers. While inviting, he was glad he'd been allowed to stay at home. He had a feeling coming here would've been akin to his one day experience in middle school.

Normally, he wouldn't even be in an elementary school, but Simon had to stay after school for some event, and asked him to pick up the twins. Even though Simon switched houses, he drove his brothers to and from school three times a week. It was one way he liked to keep connected with them and their lives.

He'd been told it'd be a simple park and pick up. The twins would recognize him, go over to his car, and they'd be off. Except the twins hadn't shown up. Neither David nor Sam. He didn't jump to panic immediately. After all, they were looking for Simon, not him. So he got out of his car and wadded into the sea of kids, trying to look for the two boys.

When that effort offered nothing, he decided to check out the classrooms. Maybe they had a version of detention. It was worth a look, anyways. So here he was, searching for a kindergarten classroom with the Camden twins. He got a few strange looks from the faculty, but none of them bothered him or thought he was out of place. _Probably think I'm a babysitter or something._ They weren't too far off.

Turning the corner, he spotted his charges just exiting a room with a teacher. He started towards them. David was the first to see him.

"Uncle Terry!"

Sam followed his brother's view and grinned, waving. "Hi, Uncle Terry!"

The teacher raised her eyebrows at him. "Uncle Terry?"

Terry offered her a hesitant smile. "Yeah, kinda. I'm dating one of their siblings, and the name sorta…stuck." He held out his hand, and she shook it. "Everything okay? I was told it'd be a simple pick up…"

"Just some extra testing for the school system, nothing major." She patted the twins' heads. "To help us get a grip on their education, developmental skills, you know, the usual stuff."

Terry didn't know, but he nodded like he did. The high school had just accepted his transcripts and medical records without fuss. He didn't like the way she kept glancing at Sam. It was subtle, but something about it worried him. He couldn't put his finger on what, though. "Alright, well, thanks. I'll get them home."

"Drive carefully."

Taking one of the twins' hands in each of his own, he led the two out towards his car, half listening to the two of them telling them about his day. They could've been normal tests, but the way the teacher kept looking at Sam specifically suggested it wasn't. So what did it mean? _Maybe Simon'll know. He went through this whole process._ He made a mental note to ask his boyfriend when he got home.

* * *

"Lucy?" 

"Colonel! It's great to hear from you."

"Just calling in to check on how things are. Settled into your new place?"

"Yeah, we are. It's nice. Close to school, church, and home; but far enough that I'm not completely involved with the family life."

"You got lucky, finding such a nice place."

"Yeah, well, Terry's mother…"

A silence descended over the two for a few minutes.

"A little bird told me you might be expanding your family soon."

"If that little bird's mom, then I'm afraid you're just getting her hopes. I don't want children yet."

"Well, we won't wait forever for grandkids."

"I'm sure Matt and Mary will have some as well."

"With Matt in medical school? Not for a few years. And Mary…Mary is Mary."

"And you never know. Simon and Terry may decide to adopt."

A gruff cough resounded over the line. "Yes, well…again, not for a few years."

"Colonel, are you still uncomfortable with Simon's orientation?"

"This isn't something we should be talking about-"

"Colonel! He's family! And what does it matter who he loves?"

"It matters, Lucy, because it goes against tradition."

"And who says tradition is right? You need to get used to the idea of Simon and Terry together. Next time you visit Simon might be staying at Terry's house, and you have to go there to see him."

"Listen here young--excuse me? Might be staying at Terry's house?"

"Um…er-"

"Lucy Camden, you explain what you mean by that this minute."

"Well…you see, Simon thought it might be a good idea to help mom and dad adjust to him leaving for college…"

* * *

"Terry, where's your dictionary?" 

"It's not in the bookcase?"

"No."

Terry frowned and stepped out of the kitchen. "That's odd." He glanced at Simon, then the bookcase, quickly skimming its shelves. "Oh! I think I used it yesterday. Check my desk."

"Right." Simon ducked past Terry and hurried down the hall. "Thanks!"

Terry watched his boyfriend for a few minutes. He hadn't brought what had happened at the elementary school up yet, mainly because Simon was busy with homework. _Dinner's as good a time as any._ He wasn't making anything fancy, just some spaghetti. He'd have it ready in another ten minutes or so. _But how to bring it up?_

Fifteen minutes later he and Simon were eating, and Terry still wasn't sure how to explain what had happened. He could be blunt and just tell Simon, but since it involved family, he thought he should be more tactful. _This may be one of those things you can't be tactful about._

Simon finally raised his eyebrow and tapped his bowl. "Something bothering you?"

"Huh? Oh, um…well, I'm not really familiar with grade school regulations and such but…were you ever held after school in kindergarten for some special tests?"

Simon furrowed his brow. "Not that I remember. Why? Did something happen with the twins?"

"I'm not sure." Terry set his fork and spoon down. "They were held after for some testing. I had to go in and get them."

Simon rubbed his chin, obviously thinking. "Weird. I'll ask mom about it, see if it's happened to any of the others of us."

Terry nodded. "There's something else. From the way the teacher was glancing-" The phone interrupted his sentence, and he glanced at the offending technology. He raised his eyebrows at Simon, who shrugged. Getting up, he picked up the receiver. "Moshi moshi."

"Terry, it's Eric. Can you put Simon on the line?"

Terry frowned at the serious tone in the man's voice, a tone he'd last heard when Annie's father died. _This can't be good._ He handed the phone to Simon, who wiped his hands on a napkin. "It's your dad."

"Dad?" Simon blinked, then put the phone to his ear. "Dad?"

"Listen, Simon, could you come over tonight? I need to discuss something with you. Something…important. It just came to my attention."

"Uh, yeah. No prob." He glanced at his dinner. "Can I finish dinner first?"

"What? Oh, of course, of course. I'm sorry. I didn't know-"

"It's okay, dad. I'll be by soon." He waited for Eric's confirmation before hanging up and putting the phone on the table. Terry had already retaken his seat and was watching Simon. "He wants to talk to me about something."

"Did you do anything wrong?"

Simon bit at his lower lip. He hadn't told Terry that his parents had said no to motorcycle lessons, but he figured his father would be angry, not…solemn. And that's how he sounded, solemn. "Not that I know of. Maybe they got a note from my teachers?"

"Two weeks into the school year?"

Simon had to agree with the incredulity in Terry's tone. "I really don't know. Maybe it's about Matt, or Mary, or Lucy…" The fact of the matter was, it could be anything, and he wouldn't know until he got there. Which meant he wouldn't have time to prepare any defenses if he and his parents got into a fight. _Not how I like things to go._ He dug into his dinner.

Terry ate quietly. Eric's phone call had disrupted both their trains of thought, and it was obvious their discussion of the twins had slipped from Simon's mind. _I'll bring it up later. After this…whatever it is._ He hoped whatever it was wasn't too bad.

* * *

"Simon." 

Simon crossed his arms as his father closed the office doors. His mother wasn't here, but then, lately she wasn't really focused on him. He had a feeling she still hadn't forgiven him for moving out part time. "Is everything okay, dad?"

"You might want to have a seat, son." Eric moved over to his desk and sat down, his hands wrapping around a pen and fiddling with it. "I have some…unsettling news."

The blond waited a minute, then took a seat. "Is this about me moving back home full time? Because I don't know why you'd want me to. Terry and I have been good, sleeping in separate rooms-"

"The arrangement is fine, Simon. It's…" The reverend hesitated, as if he wasn't really sure he wanted to continue. "It's the Colonel and Ruth."

Simon sat straighter at that. He'd had a couple phone calls with them since coming out. Nothing major, in fact they'd been a bit terse. And true, he hadn't called them in over a month, but the last conversation went a little better than usual. The Colonel actually said more than two words to him. "Are they sick?" As tense as things were, he didn't want to lose another grandparent, not so soon.

"No, nothing like that. They called earlier to talk with Lucy and…" Again, his father hesitated. Simon had a feeling this discussion was about to go really far south. "Your sister sort of let it slip that you and Terry are…living together."

Simon winced. _Hoo boy. That can't have gone over well._ That's one of the main reasons he hadn't called them. They had caller ID, and he didn't want to call from Terry's. He also didn't want to lie to them about his situation, so he hadn't called them from home either. "What happened?"

"Please understand she didn't mean to let it happen, and I argued and talked and tried to reason with my parents so they could see our point of view. Even your point of view." Eric sighed and tossed the pen on the table, folding his hands together. "The fact is…they weren't happy with the whole 'boyfriend situation.' This just…added fuel to the fire. A big fire-"

"Dad, I know that. What's the…what happened? How bad is the damage?"

Eric closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "They've disowned you, Simon. According to the Colonel, until you get your head on straight--and I don't think he was making a pun--you aren't family to them."

Simon's breathing increased, and he tried to quell the nauseous feeling. Getting physically sick was not going to help matters. _Okay, okay, calm down. You knew this could happen._ That was his whole argument for not talking to his grandparents. And now they knew.

"I know this isn't much comfort, but the Colonel is refusing to speak to me as well, at least until I get my head out of my-" Eric caught himself from directly quoting his father. "Until I set things right and bring you home." There had been a lot of other words spoken as well, but Eric didn't think his son needed to hear them.

Simon looked down to his hands. _You knew this was a possibility…but I thought…I thought I was starting to get through to them._ "There's…no chance they'll change their minds?"

"Not any time soon, no. I'm sorry, son. Maybe in a few months the Colonel will calm down enough to listen to you." It was a false hope, and both of them new it. When the Colonel made up his mind, it wasn't likely to be changed.

"What about Ruth?"

"She's siding with the Colonel on this one. I'm sorry, Simon. I really didn't think…" Eric cut himself off. He did think, in fact he expected, his father to react this way. In fact, he was amazed they'd been so tolerant thus far. And now the other shoe had fallen, and there was nothing he could do about it. "Do you want to…talk about it?"

Simon shook his head, taking a deep breath. He could handle this, had to handle this. _Terry convinced them once to put aside their discomfort. Maybe he can do it again._ Another false hope. He figured Terry would be lucky if he got past hello in any discussion with his grandparents.

"If you wanted to stay the night, I don't think-"

Simon cut him off. "Dad." He didn't want to be around his family. He didn't want their pity or sympathy. Hell, he wasn't sure what he wanted, since he was pretty sure he didn't want Terry at the moment, either. Rather than saying anything else, he stood up. "Thanks for…letting me know. I have to…" _What, Camden? Finish your homework? Get to bed? What do you have to do?_ Drive. He needed to drive. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He ignored the rest of the household, didn't allow himself to think until he was behind the wheel and driving. He didn't head for Terry's, or Lucy's, or anyone's. He just drove around trying to figure out what to do. _What am I supposed to do? Just take this lying down? Not fight back? Or do I get on a plane, go out there, and make an appeal?_

_That wouldn't work. It would make the Colonel dig in his heels. If you leave them alone, there's a chance they'll be willing to listen later. Plus you have your family pushing them. Matt and Mary and dad and Lucy._

He turned a corner and found himself driving by a cemetery. _Yeah, and Matt's the Colonel's favorite. If anyone can convince him to change his mind, it'll be Matt._ Parking the car, he blinked as he realized where he was. "Grandpa…"

Okay, so it was creeping him out a bit, being here at night, but Grandpa was the only one of his family to just…accept him. No convincing, no fighting, just a simple acceptance that his grandson loved a boy and he wasn't going to change. "I wish you were still alive, Gramps. I could…I could really use your support right now."

Sighing, he rested his head against the window and closed his eyes. He should've known things were going too well to last. School was going fine, his life was finally taking a direction he wanted, he was happily living part time with Terry. Sure, his mother and he had new issues to work out, but those stemmed more from separation anxiety than anything else. All in all, he thought things had been going great.

_So of course, something has to happen to screw it up. _He wasn't normally so pessimistic, but ever since he'd been with Terry, that seemed to happen. After all, things were going great the night of the prom, too. _Is this a curse I'll have as long as I'm with Terry?_ A phone ringing caught his attention, and his eyes landed on a cell phone lying on the passenger seat. Terry's cell phone. _Must've left it in the car earlier._

He picked it up and stared at it for a minute. Should he answer it? _Might as well. Never know if there's an emergency._ He flipped the phone open and put it to his ear. "Terry Jordon's phone."

"Hey Simon."

Simon relaxed against the seat. "Hi, Terry."

"Everything okay? Your dad called and asked if you got here safely."

"Yeah, everything's…" He trailed off. Everything was not okay, but this wasn't a conversation he wanted to have over the phone. "It's not okay, but…I'll explain when I get there." He turned the ignition in the car. "See you in a few."

"Kay."

Simon closed the phone and pulled out of his parking spot. _I just have to get through this…initial shock. Yeah, I'll be fine after that._ After all, in the grand scheme of things, this wasn't so important. It wasn't like these were his parents or his brothers or sisters. It was his grandparents, grandparents who hadn't called after he was attacked, or just to say hi. _Maybe…this is for the best. We haven't been on the best of terms for a while._

Even so, the pain of what happened, of his grandparents' rejection, still lingered in his chest.

* * *

"You sure you're okay with this, Simon? You didn't sound like you were over the phone." Terry rocked on his heels and crossed his arms. Simon had kept his distance since coming home, staying by the hallway door and avoiding eye contact. 

"I'm sure." He took a deep breath. "It's…hurtful, but I can't say I didn't expect this to happen at some point. Obsessing over it isn't going to help…so I'm just living with it." He reached up and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm fine, Terry. And I do need to get my homework done…"

Terry frowned. "Alright. If you're sure you're okay…but I'm here to talk if you need to."

Simon gave Terry a brief smile. "I'm fine, Terry. Really." With that, he turned and retreated to his room.

Terry rubbed the back of his neck. Simon was a family person, and to have any of them reject him…the Simon he knew would be hurt by it, hurting because of it. _And we promised not to hide our feelings, not when we have each other to lean on._ So why did he think Simon was hiding his hurt? _Not for my benefit. Maybe it's more…he needs time to process it?_

Whatever it was, he wasn't going to push Simon about it. Simon retreated both after he came out and after the attack. _Yeah, he's probably just processing how he feels._ Deciding that, he sat on the couch and started going through his mail. He'd bring up the thing with the twins later, when Simon seemed more open to talking. _Besides, it's not like I went to elementary school. Maybe it is just normal testing._ Even so, his gut was telling him it was something else.

_I should ask Simon if I can pick them up again tomorrow. _He wouldn't be as nervous as he was today, so he could ask if there was something wrong. _Though…why would there be anything wrong with either of them?_ He pursed his lips. _It's a good question. If there's something wrong…what could it be?_ He had a nagging feeling he knew, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. _Great, this is gonna bug me all night._

* * *

Lucy smiled at the waiter as he delivered the hamburgers. "So is he okay? I really didn't mean for it to slip-" 

Terry waved his hand before making a grab for the ketchup. "He says he's fine. I think he's still processing everything, but overall, I think he'll end up okay. Especially if they change their minds later. After all, you guys rejected him at first. Nothing is quite as devastating as that." He tapped the bottle, trying to get the condiment onto his burger. "Damn vacuum."

Lucy simply checked over her own burger before taking a bite out of it. "And…he's not angry at me?"

"Not that I can tell." Grabbing a knife, Terry swiped some ketchup from inside the bottle and spread it on the bun. "But last night he seemed more in shock than anything."

"I really didn't mean to tell them…" She put her lunch down. "I know he doesn't need that stress, especially senior year."

Terry put the bun on his meat and set the bottle back down. "I don't think he blames you. He's been avoiding calling them for a while. You just let them know what he was going to…eventually." He nudged his fries for a minute. "He'll probably talk with you about it eventually, but right now…I don't think he's worried about blame, or anything like that."

"Still, I'm sorry." She sighed. "And I have to tell him that, not you."

"Yep." They both ate quietly for a few minutes. "So, I've got a question about kindergarten procedure."

Lucy raised her eyebrows, but waved for him to continue.

"Do they usually keep kids after class for testing?"

She thought as she chewed, then took a sip from her drink before answering. "Not that I can remember. Except maybe the special kids."

"Special kids? Like…future Mensa members?"

"No. Special, like special classes…" She mentally hit herself at Terry's blank look. _Course he wouldn't really know. Home schooled, and in high school you don't hear about it as much. _"Kids who are differently abled, or have a mental disability." She nibbled on a fry. "Why do you ask?"

"Cause David and Sam were kept after yesterday, and the teacher said it was for some special testing or something."

That caught her by surprise. "Well, they didn't go to preschool…maybe it was just simple testing."

"Yeah, maybe that's all it was." Terry frowned for a minute, but didn't say anything else. Instead, he went back to eating.

"What're you thinking?"

"There was just something about the teacher's glances…something off about them. It worries me."

"I'm sure it's nothing major. You know what? They probably just got into some trouble. First time being in a school after all."

Terry nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right. If there really was a problem, they'd have told Eric and Annie, right?"

"Right." Lucy smiled, and picked up the salt. "So, anything else going on in your life?"

"Not really. Might try out for a play later. I tried acting when I was younger and that…" He wrinkled his nose. "The less spoken about that, the better. But now that I'm older and have some time…it's something I've been wanting to try."

"Really?"

"How do you think mom got into her line of work? I don't think I could ever be as…enthusiastic as her, but I'm trying to find a direction for college."

"So you're going to try following in your parents' foot steps."

Terry picked up his own drink and swirled it around a minute. "Well, at least my mother's. So what about you? How goes the independent life?"

"Well, it's not bad, but I never knew Kevin could make such a mess in a real kitchen…"

* * *

"The teacher wants to see us? About what?" Eric frowned and set his papers on the table to turn his full attention on his wife. 

Annie looked on the back of the note and shrugged. "I have no idea. The note just says she wants to see us as soon as possible. I already called and said we'd go tomorrow afternoon."

Eric really tried not to jump to conclusions. He didn't want to think his sons could do something really horrible within the first few weeks of school, but it'd happened before with both Simon and Ruthie. _And here I thought the twins would keep each other out of trouble._

Of course, it could be something else. Maybe they were geniuses, and were going to be placed in accelerated classes. He doubted it, but the offer had been made to Simon when he started school. At the time neither Annie or Eric had wanted to push their child, so they declined the opportunity. _Regret it now, especially if his brothers are going to be given the same chance._

"So tomorrow at three. You'll be there?"

"Huh? Yes, yes of course." He'd have to rearrange a couple of appointments, but he would make it. Especially since his wife was still acting a bit off. _Ever since Simon started living at Terry's part time…_ "Do you want me to pick you up?"

"I'll meet you there. I can go shopping afterward and you can bring them home." She set the note down and checked on the meatloaf she was making.

"Have you asked the boys what it's about?"

She gave him the 'you asked a stupid question' look. "Of course I have. They have no idea what it's about."

"Right, of course." He glanced up the stairs, raising his eyebrows at Happy, who was lying there watching the two of them. "Have you heard from Simon?" He tried to ignore the fact that she slammed the oven door closed at her son's name.

"No. Why would I have?"

"Well, after what happened with the Colonel and Ruth…I was hoping he'd check in. I mean, his grandparents disowned him. It's a big thing."

She sniffed and went to the fridge, digging out some vegetables. "Maybe, but he's not here, so why would I hear from him?"

Eric sighed and shook his head. _It's just separation anxiety talking. First Lucy, then Simon…_ "Well, let me know if he does call. In case he needs to talk…" He mentally kicked himself for the way that came out. "That's not what I mean-"

"I'll let you know if he calls, don't worry." She waved him off while setting a head of lettuce on the counter. "In the meantime, remember tomorrow, three."

Eric nodded and ducked out of the kitchen. He'd just screwed up, royally. _Here's hoping she forgives me by night time._ Otherwise, he'd be sleeping in the guest room. Again. _This issue with Simon has to come to a head, soon. I'm starting to get kinks from that mattress._

* * *

"You sure it's okay?" Simon squatted and unhooked Happy's leash, rubbing the canine's head. "Your place isn't exactly dog-proofed." 

Terry shook his head. "S'alright. It's Jordon-proof, and that's probably equivalent." He waited a minute. "Any particular reason you wanted to bring her?"

"I just…since I can't sleep with you, I'm kinda lonely, and she's always slept with me." Simon stood back up and picked up the bag of dog supplies he'd brought with him. "It's only to try."

"Lonely? You haven't mentioned you were lonely before." Terry looked away from Simon to watch Happy sniff around the living room. "This wouldn't happen to be because of your grandparents-"

"I said I was fine, Terry. So they reject me, big deal." Simon made his way to the kitchen. "I'm going to get her situated, then I have homework." He hoped his boyfriend didn't pick up the slight edge in his voice.

Terry crossed his arms and waited a minute, not really wanting to leave Happy alone yet. "Alright."

Even though it was just one word, Simon easily interpreted the doubt, and even a hint of hurt, in Terry's tone. It was true, though. He was over the Colonel hating him and never wanting to see him again. It didn't bother or distract him. Not one bit.

_You've never felt lonely at Terry's before._

_Shut up._ He hated that little voice in his head. He WAS over the pain. He just didn't have room for it, and he couldn't change what had happened. _I missed Happy, that's all. He's reading too much into it._

_Terry's just worried. So are dad and Luce. _

He turned on the faucet with a little more force than necessary and filled up Happy's water dish. _They don't need to be worried! I'm over it! I'm fine! Why won't anyone believe me?!_

_Maybe because you're a family man, and your reaction seems off to them._

_I have homework. _He set the dish on the floor and ducked out of the kitchen, vaguely noting that Terry had retreated from the living room.

Mature answer.

Rather than respond, he whistled for Happy as he went to his room. His pet, immediately sensing this was her master's room, hopped onto the bed and curled up. He picked up his reading for the week and laid next to her, flipping open to a folded page. He was okay with what happened with his grandparents, he had dealt with the pain. He just wished people would stop asking if he was okay, because he was.

_Are you trying to convince them, or yourself? _

He ignored the snide comment and started reading. He wasn't enjoying the assignment, but it kept his mind occupied. It wasn't occupied for long, though as the phone rang before he even got through a page. He sighed at the interruption, especially if it was his parents calling to check in if he was okay. Hearing it ring again, and realizing that Terry wasn't going to grab it, he sat up and grabbed the receiver. "Hello?"

"Simon, hi. It's your dad."

"I know, dad. I recognize your voice."

"You do? Right, of course…um, I was wondering if you noticed anything unusual when you picked up your brothers."

Simon blinked, not expecting his father to ask that. "Unusual?"

"Well, their teacher wants to meet with us tomorrow, and since you picked them up, I thought you might have noticed if they were in trouble or doing something they shouldn't…something to give us a heads up of what's going on."

Simon's forehead wrinkled as he tried to think if anything had seemed out of place when he'd picked them up. _No, nothing unusual that I saw._ But then, he hadn't been the one to pick up the twins one day. "I didn't, but Terry said they were held after the day he went to get them. For testing of some sort."

"Testing? Testing for what?"

"He didn't know." Thinking back, he could recall Terry wanting to say more about it, but the whole ordeal with his grandparents threw them off that track. _Maybe it's time we finished that discussion. _"Sorry, dad. But I'm sure it's nothing really terrible. I mean, otherwise you would've gotten a call, right?"

"Yeah, right. Thanks son. I'll see you next week, okay?"

"Okay. Bye, dad." A dial tone informed him that his father probably hadn't heard him. Apparently no one in his family really knew how to say goodbye. Hanging up, he got off the bed, waving at Happy to stay as she raised her head, and left the room. He knocked on his boyfriend's door, but getting no response, he opened it.

Terry was laying on the bed listening to his discman and reading one of his Japanese comics--manga, he vaguely recalled Jordon calling them. Obviously he was listening to something loud, since it wasn't until Simon sat down on the bed that he noticed he wasn't alone. He pulled off the earphones immediately. "Simon?"

"Dad just called." He waited for Terry to put the book down and stop the CD. "He wanted to know if I knew why the twins' teacher would want to see them. I remember you mentioned something about testing…"

Terry nodded. "Yeah, they were held over for testing. Standard, the teacher had said, but…"

Simon knew it. There was something more. "But…?"

Terry shrugged. "It was probably nothing, but there was something about the way she was looking at Sam. It just felt…off. Like something was wrong." He waited a minute. "I could be way off. I mean, what do I know about education systems? But my feelings don't normally steer me wrong."

"True." Simon looked out the window, trying to deduce for himself what could be wrong. _Sam's a bit smaller than David, but other than that…_ Of course he knew he wasn't an unbiased party, and couldn't really look at the twins as a teacher could. "Do you think it's anything we need to worry about?"

"We?" Terry raised his eyebrows.

"Well, you know…" Simon struggled for a minute. "You're like family. And if something's wrong we would welcome your help. Want it, even."

"Like family, huh?" Terry glanced to his bedspread a minute. "So you're shutting them out, too?"

It took Simon a minute for his mind to switch tracks and realize where the discussion was now going. His eyes darkened slightly and he sat up. "I told you, I'm-"

"Fine, yeah. I know." Terry crossed his arms. "So why are you so tense when anyone brings up the subject?"

"Because maybe I'm tired of hearing about it! Geeze, Terry! It's not a big deal! So they disowned me! After Thanksgiving, I wasn't really expecting them to welcome me with open arms! They didn't even call when I was attacked!" He abruptly stood up. "And if they want this then fine! I'm not going to waste my time and energy trying to win them over when it can't happen!"

Terry stood up on the other side of the bed, dropping his earphones on the mattress. "Then why are you snapping at me?! At Lucy? Damn it, Simon! We're just worried!"

"Well don't be! I'm FINE!"

"You're shutting me out!"

"You're reading too much into it!"

"You can't even have someone mention their names without getting defensive!"

"And maybe you don't know the whole story! Maybe I actually wanted this! Maybe I never wanted to hear from them again because I knew they hated you and me and this is an answer to my prayers!"

"Then why do you look like you're about to break down crying?!"

Simon snarled before turning on his heels and storming to his room. He knew he was near tears, and he didn't want Terry to see. Didn't want to be forced to see that this actually was affecting him. He didn't need this. He didn't! He stood in his room and looked around, fists clenched at his sides. He just stood there, letting the tears slide down his face and breathing raggedly as he tried to get himself under control.

Happy was still on the bed, head up and looking at him, confused by his actions. When she looked past him, he knew Terry was here. He wanted to lash out again, but knew his voice would betray him and reveal how upset he actually was.

"It's the hate, isn't it." Simon didn't move. "You've been worried that they secretly hate you, and now they've confirmed it." He heard Terry step closer. "With your parents you were worried, but deep down you knew they loved you, and would at least make the effort. This time it feels more…permanent."

"If you're so smart," he bit off, "then how do I work through this?" His next words were spoken more softly. "How do I accept the fact that they hate me even though I still…love them?"

Terry put a hand on Simon's arm. "I wish I could tell you. But I'm the wrong man to ask."

Simon looked over his shoulder. "You? You're the expert in this relationship."

Terry pulled away and sat on the bed, glancing at Simon before staring at the floor. " Not at this." He sighed. "You know my father and I…" He waved one hand, not wanting to reiterate a story Simon had heard before. "Well, I dealt with that by not speaking to him, ignoring him…pretty much hating him. And you know how that turned out."

Simon dropped next to him on the bed, jostling Happy from her resting position. "Yeah…" He didn't want to end up like that, not resolving anything before his grandparents died. "That's sort of what I feel like right now. But we're a family that works things out. And I can't let this sit and fester and turn into what you-" he stopped and looked to his boyfriend. "No offence."

Terry let out a bark of a laugh. "None taken."

Simon glanced at Terry once more before returning his gaze to his hands. Neither of them said anything for a while, and eventually Simon wondered if that was it, if there was nothing more to be said. _Which means we're back to square one._ He reached over and stroked Happy absently.

Terry was the one to break the silence by clearing his throat. "Well, you have homework and I have a manga to finish…" He stood up and stuck his hands in his pockets. "If…you do wanna talk. I'll be in my room."

"Okay." Simon watched Terry take a few steps towards the door. "Terry?" He offered his boyfriend a small smile. "It…did help to vent like that. So…thank you."

Terry returned the smile. "Welcome. I'll see you at dinner." With that, Terry left.

Simon stared after him, then looked to Happy. "So what do I do now?" She turned onto her side and gave him a hopeful look. He rolled his eyes and started rubbing her stomach. "Besides make you happy." He looked at his homework, then to the phone. He couldn't call his grandparents, at least not until they cooled down about the situation. _I'm not going to let this go unresolved. We will work it out one day. _It was a promise he intended to keep, no matter what.

* * *

Eric took one quick look in the corner to make sure the twins were settled, playing with toys, before taking a seat next to his wife in front of the teacher. He'd tried to go through every possible scenario that might explain the necessity for the testing and this meeting, but every scenario seemed off, wrong. 

"Mr. And Mrs. Camden, thank you for making the time to see me."

"Of course."

Eric nodded with his wife, making a mental note that this instructor was obviously new, since he didn't recognize her; and since he'd had five kids pass through the system, he knew just about every teacher there was at the school. "Since there was no note home, can we assume this isn't because they're in some sort of trouble?"

The teacher's hesitated a moment. "Not…really. Trouble is a relative term."

"Is it because the boys are excelling at their studies?"

Eric had a feeling Annie's hope was misplaced, and the teacher confirmed it a moment later with the shake of her head. "Then why exactly have we been called in?"

"Well, not being in preschool, both Sam and David failed to take some standard testing, to see if they qualified for accelerated learning or if they had some…problems." She flipped through a folder. "Has your doctor told you his concerns about their development?"

"Yes," Annie sat forward on her chair, "but I haven't seen anything to confirm their worries."

Eric glanced at her, but didn't voice his objection. Maybe he was just seeing things, but during the time Annie was gone he'd sensed something off with the boys. He wasn't sure what, and since no one else really sensed it, he let it go. _And maybe I shouldn't have._ "Why do you ask?"

She glanced at first Annie, then him. "Normally we wouldn't have administered the test, but I noticed a few behavioral oddities between the boys, and comparing their work I had to wonder…"

"Wonder what?" He put his hand on Annie's arm to restrain whatever she was going to say. She tended to take criticism of her children personally. In this case, though, she was still extra sensitive because of everything going on with Simon.

"On the mental capabilities of them." Her shoulders seemed to relax a little at admitting that. "According to all tests, David's fine. That's pretty much what I expected. His work is comparatively normal with a child his age, as are his social skills. Sam, on the other hand…" She glanced past them to check on the boys.

Eric felt Annie tense beneath his hand. _This could get ugly real fast._ He really hoped it wouldn't. _Besides, it might not be that bad. And whatever it is, we'll get through it together._ "What's wrong with Sam?"

"Both his mental and social development are retarded." She held up her hands as Annie opened her mouth. "Not to say that he is. I apologize. That probably wasn't the best word to use."

"No, it wasn't," Eric agreed. "Do you know why this has happened? Or how?"

"There's no real way to tell for certain. Have any of your other children displayed odd or unique behaviors that aren't really associated with children?"

"No," Annie said in an unusually soft voice. "We've raised perfectly healthy, normal children."

Eric frowned a minute. "Actually, Simon's a bit of an idiot savant when it comes to finances. And Ruthie…" Ruthie was special, that was for sure. He just didn't know of a technical term to explain it. "Ruthie's gifted."

"Then you've been lucky." The teacher folded her hands on the desk. "You'd need a specialist, but considering how late Mrs. Camden had the twins, and his verbal and social skills, I wouldn't be surprised if it was a mild case of Autism."

"Autism…" Eric echoed, not quite sure how to take the news. This wasn't something that could just go away, or something that could be cured. It was an affliction that would affect Sam all his life. "You're sure?"

"Again, you probably should have an expert examine him to get a final diagnosis. They'd also be able to give you pointers about how to live with a mentally handicapped child, and any special needs he might have. Which brings me to the other part of this meeting." She sat back, obviously waiting for the two of them to catch up in the conversation.

Eric glanced to his wife, who was staring at her sons, Sam in particular. Neither of them was expecting this, but the news seemed to really hit her hard. _Because her age might've factored into this development._ He had a feeling it would take her a while to adjust to this. After a minute he turned his attention back to the teacher. "And that would be?"

"I'd like Sam to spend about an hour every day with a Special Ed teacher. They'll be able to give him more individual attention. If this is just a mild case, they may even be able to keep his education level almost equal to David's." She sat up a little straighter. "There are plenty of students with learning and mental difficulties that, by high school, are able to engage in most of the same classes as their peers."

"So you want to start him on that path now?"

She nodded. "To be honest, he's struggling, and a distraction to the other students."

He rubbed his eyes a moment, then nodded. "Alright, if you think it's best." He turned to his wife. "Unless you object, dear." She appeared to still be watching Sam play, and obviously hadn't heard him. "Annie?"

Her head snapped around towards him, surprised. "What?"

"Do you have any objections with having Sam spend some time with a Special Ed teacher?"

"Will it help him?" She went back to looking at her sons.

He sighed through his nose and began rubbing her shoulder."Yes, yes it will."

"Okay."

Eric looked to the teacher again. "Do you have a doctor you recommend? Who can help to properly diagnose him?"

"I'm afraid not. But I'm sure the department head of Special-"

Eric cut her off with a wave of his hand. _I'm sure Doctor Gibson or the boys' pediatrician know someone._ After all, they worked in the medical fields. "I'm sure we can find someone. Thank you."

"Alright." She stood up and held out her hand. "Thank you for coming. I know this was difficult to hear." Her gaze flitted briefly to Annie.

He stood and they shook hands briefly. "Thank you for taking the time to tell us in person." He felt Annie get up beside him, but instead of saying anything, she moved away. A quick look found her kneeling by the boys and quietly telling them to get ready to go. _Shock. She must be in shock. _He shouldn't be surprised. This was right up there with Simon coming out to them.

"And Mr. Camden? I know you have family in the area. Family support is something that could help him as well."

"Don't worry. He'll get plenty of it." Eric made sure he had everything he'd come in with and followed Annie as she led the twins out. _We'll get through this._ After Simon coming out, even a hurdle as big as this didn't seem as daunting. _And Sam will have something Simon didn't at first: a loving family to help him through this._

It was a mistake he'd made once, and one he vowed never to make again.

* * *

Author's Prattle: Wow…this one took a looooong time to get out. But I do have a very good reason. Between moving and school and midterms and projects and submitting novel manuscripts and YaoiCon….okay, okay, so it's just excuses, but I'm finally back on top! As you can see from the updates, I've finished a lot of one-shots (mostly in SG-1), and there's even more I haven't gotten ready for posting…yet.

Also, I'm afraid it's gonna be a while before the other chapters come out. I have a couple chapters to do before the big Valentine's Day special I have prepared. Since I want to post that on Valentine's Day, I need to finish the ones before by January. It'll take time…but with luck I'll get the new chapters out sooner than before.

Disclaimers. I don't own 7th Heaven, it belongs to Brenda Hampton and the WB network. I'm just borrowing their characters/settings and mixing them with my own.

So, that's it. I'll be posting a lot of my short things for a while (after I get past finals), but I will post more, don't worry! As always, feedback is appreciated, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


End file.
